UTM Party on Sunday started conducting primaries in constituencies where the party has two or more candidates seeking its ticket in the September 16 General Election.
Publicity secretary Felix Njawala said in an interview on Sunday that there are 61 constituencies out of 229 where primaries will be held.
He said primaries were set to start in Chitipa, Karonga and in Neno East Constituency on Sunday.
“For some constituencies where the party has one candidate, we already conducted an endorsement process,” said Njawala.
Other constituencies where the party intends to conduct primaries include Mzuzu City East, Mzimba Central, Mzimba Perekezi, Kasungu Bua Ntchisi South, Lilongwe City Masintha, Ntcheu Central and Zomba Central.
The UTM primary elections will end on June 5 2025, five days before the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) opens the nomination process for local government and parliamentary elections.
On the other hand, the United Democratic Front (UDF) expects to start conducting primary elections this week following the closure of the period for receiving nominations from aspirants on May 30 2025.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, UDF publicity secretary Dyson Jangiya said the election committee has been meeting and is expected to release a timetable.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party have also been conducting primary elections which they started in February and April, respectively.
MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda said recently that the party would be ready by the time MEC opens the window for nominations.
The calendar for the September 16 2025 General Elections shows that MEC will receive nomination papers for parliamentary and presidential candidates between July 1 and July 5 2025.
