Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule yesterday became the biggest casualty to date in Malawi Congress Party (MCP) primaries to identify parliamentary and local government elections candidates for the September 16 General Election.
The minister, who last July announced her switch from UTM Party to MCP weeks after the death of UTM leader and the country’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima in a military plane crash, has since congratulated former Lilongwe City mayor Juliana Kaduya for winning the race for the MCP ticket in newly created Lilongwe City Masintha Constituency.
During the elections held at Kamuzu Palace Community Day Secondary, Kaduya amassed 554 votes against 268 for Kamtukule and 131 for Ireen Chimdzeka. Two other aspirants, Lydia Ngondo got four votes and Frank Pempho Mndala, a sole male contender, received one vote.
Kamtukule accepted defeat and congratulated Kaduya on her victory.
Writing on Facebook, she said: “I pledge to work with her in developing the area from now moving forward as we also garner support from the urban youth for His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera.”
Kaduya is Chilinde 1 Ward councillor having first won in 2014 on a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket before retaining the ward in 2019 on an MCP ticket.
In another primary election conducted yesterday, Lilongwe City Centre legislator Alfred Jiya won in the newly-created Lilongwe City Nankhaka Constituency.
He got 763 votes against fellow candidates Mike Tembo’s 40 votes and Patrick Mtungiza’s nine votes.
During the weekend, DPP also conducted primaries in some constituencies in Blantyre and Thyolo districts.
Some of the candidates who won include Rodwell Roderick Ngalande in Blantyre City Soche Zingwangwa, Maureen Namwali in Thyolo Goliati and Veronica Ndalama in South Lunzu Constituency.
The DPP and MCP have been conducting primaries for several weeks but in some areas the polls have turned ugly, leading to cancellation or withholding of results.
On the other hand, the United Democratic Front is yet to resume its primaries after they were suspended over a week ago due to disagreements on areas in most constituencies.
University of Malawi-based expert in legislative and electoral politics Gift Sambo told The Nation in an earlier interview that the culture of candidate ‘parachuting’ has the potential to ruin the popularity of party backed contestants.
During past elections, unresolved disputes, during parliamentary primaries have seen some disgruntled candidates contesting as independents on polling day.
