The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has today declared Dedza East Parliamentarian Juliana Lunguzi winner of primary elections in the constituency following an inquiry into the polls.
On Sunday after the elections, presiding officer Peter Chalera announced Patrick Bandawe as the victorious candidate with 821 votes to Lunguzi’s 815. Other contestants were Mussa M’bwana, Steven Biswick and David Kupempha.
However, the party says there were irregularities that led to Bandawe being declared winner.
According to a statement released today by MCP publicity Secretary Maurice Munthali, Bandawe’s tally as declared by the presiding team included another contestants’ votes.
“We have established that a candidate in that race, having received votes that were insufficient for a victory, is alleged to have yielded the votes his supporters cast for him to another candidate, which is not only irregular, but is unethical and a serious breach of party conduct,” says the statement.
Following the findings, the Directorate of Elections recommended that the candidate who gave Bandawe votes be disqualified and his votes discounted from Bandawe’s tally.
“For this reason, it is the resolution of the Party that Hon. Juliana Lunguzi is the legitimate winner of the Dedza East Primaries, not only because she had the votes to win before other candidates colluded to manipulate the process, but also because our investigations show that she had no part in the collusion,” says Munthali in the statement.
“So, on behalf of the Malawi Congress Party, we all say congratulations Hon Juliana Lunguzi for being the official torchbearer for Dedza East constituency in the forthcoming Tripartite Elections”
Meanwhile, the MCP has warned contestants in its primary elections that the party will not tolerate misconduct and corruption.
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