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Mzuzu councillors given 6 days to declare interest in elections

 

Mzuzu City Council (MCC) has asked councillors aspiring for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor to officially declare their interest by 4:30pm on January 3 2017.

MCC will hold elections for the two positions on January 9 2017, but there has been silence on the part of councillors regarding their interest to contest.

The silence has left people wondering who will contest and there have been speculations that some have been frustrated by divisions in their political parties.

Msiska: There were instructions

MCC public relations officer Karen Msiska confirmed in an interview yesterday that there were instructions to have the councillors declare their interest by 4:30pm on January 3.

He said the council wants to have ample time to compile names of candidates and prepare for the elections.

He said the council will engage the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to help with ballot boxes and monitoring of the elections.

So, far only three Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councillors,  Yona Mkandawire, Dennis Moyo and Judith Chiumia are reported to have shown interest.

The city’s deputy mayor Frazer Chunga said he and mayor William Mkandawire will seek re-election.

Chunga said it is a requirement that people declare their interest before the elections.

He said the contestants last year made their interest known a week before the elections.

“I cannot speak for the others because I am already the deputy mayor and William [Mkandawire] is the mayor. So, those that want to challenge us should be the ones coming forward,” he said.

DPP regional governor for the North Kenneth Sanga, said the party will come up with its candidates for the two positions by Friday or Saturday and that the reported three names are just rumours. n

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