How the mighty faired in polls

Latest results released by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Wednesday show some heavy weights lost embarrassingly in the parliamentary elections, while a few won by wide margins.

Here is how some notable figures performed in the race, according to MEC.

Well known candidates who excelled include President Peter Mutharika in his Thyolo East Constituency where he amassed 34 015 votes out of the 37 998 , votes cast.

His newly-wed wife Gertrude Maseko, contesting on a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket was, however, trounced by musician Lucius Banda of the United Democratic Front (UDF) with 16 616 votes against 7 766.

Former vice-president Khumbo Kachali running on a People’s Party (PP) ticket in Mzimba South West narrowly escaped with 8 054 votes against independent Raymond Nkhata, who got 8 003 votes; a difference of just 51 votes.

Newly appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu lost with only 205 votes in Salima Central Constituency on a DPP ticket against Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s Felix Jumbe who collected 12 526 votes.

In Lilongwe North West, MCP president Lazarus Chakwera proved his popularity by polling 37 454 votes out of 41 393 total votes cast.

DPP’s member of the national executive committee (NEC) and former Cabinet minister Yunus Mussa lost his Zomba Central seat to PP’s Patricia Kainga with 11 017 against 11 861 votes.

In Rumphi West, independent candidate Jacqueline Kouwenhoven trounced Bessie Chirambo, former presidential adviser on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to former president the late Bingu Mutharika by 15 550 against 9 214 votes.