PP FIGHTS KHUMBO
Incumbent President Joyce Banda’s People’s Party (PP) has started fighting Vice-President Khumbo Kachali’s candidature for Mzimba South West Constituency by writing the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to omit him from the ballot papers.
Kachali, who has rejoined Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the party that in December 2010 expelled him alongside Banda for allegedly forming parallel structures, presented nomination papers to MEC as a PP candidate for the constituency after he went unopposed in the party’s primary elections.
Other candidates, including the then sitting MP Raymond Nkhata, pulled out after Kachali expressed interest, arguing he will likely win the elections.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, PP secretary general Paul Maulidi said he was writing MEC at the time of the interview to remove Kachali on the ballot. He said by joining DPP, Kachali cannot represent PP.
Maulidi said the PP constitution does not allow a member of another party to stand on its ticket. He said Kachali has already crossed the floor and MEC has to clear the matter before the elections on May 20.
Said Maulidi: “We were waiting for his resignation and what he did yesterday was a clear sign of resignation. We are going to withdraw our sponsorship. He cannot stand on PP ticket when he is DPP. We cannot stick to him as our candidate.
“As we are talking, I am sending a letter to MEC to intervene and make sure he does not stand on PP ticket. If the worse comes to worst, we will go to court.”
Kachali resigned from PP as first vice-president. He was the last PP elected vice-president after resignations of other vice-presidents, notably Cassim Chilumpha (Central Region) and Mohammad Sidik Mia (Southern Region).
PP provincial chairperson (North) the Reverend Christopher Ngwira said PP felt cheated by Kachali and will ensure that there are by-elections in the constituency.
He also said PP will drag Kachali to court if the matter is not handled properly, arguing Kachali’s defection is fraudulent.
However, MEC chief elections officer Willie Kalonga said MEC will maintain Kachali as PP candidate on the ballot paper despite the defection, arguing there is no law that prohibits the defection. The development means PP will not be represented.
Said Kalonga: “Candidates are approved through nomination papers. He presented nomination papers as PP, so whatever changes have happened we will not consider them.
“It is their problem not our problem. Whether the party will continue to recognise him or not, we consider him as candidate for PP.”
Blessings Chinsinga, associate professor of political science at University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, said the country should review its laws to ensure that such defections are avoided in future.
