The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) declared Rhino Chiphiko as winner of primary elections in Lilongwe City South West constituency, but his challenger Nancy Tembo claimed that she had been robbed of victory.
It has emerged that Chiphiko’s influence in the party was one of the reasons the party rigged the elections in his favour.
Malawi Congress Party held primary elections in the Lilongwe City South West Constituency in September. During the elections which took place at Messahs Lodge in area 36, Tembo got 407 while incumbent MP for the area Chiphiko managed 396 Votes.
But the MCP’s official statement on the polls declared Chiphiko winner saying the party had looked at various issues during the elections.
“After having objectively and painstakingly looked at the process, conduct and the results of the said primary elections between the two main contenders, the Party has concluded that Hon Rhino Chiphiko won the elections with 458 votes to Hon Nancy Tembo’s 407 votes,” read the statement signed by MCP Publicity Secretary, Maurice Munthali.
Tembo was left disappointed and she later announced that she will stand as an independent and challenge Chiphiko in the 2019 elections. She believes the party has reasons for robbing her of victory.
According to reports, Chiphiko is influential in the party and senior MCP officials do not want to lose his influence and especially his ability to negotiate with party financiers.
Tembo however is not popular at MCP National Executive Committee because she is said to have failed to protect the party’s interests when she was a commissioner at the Malawi Electoral Commission in the run up to the 2014 elections.
