Member of Parliament for Mzimba North Agness NyaLonje has withdrawn from participating in the United Transformation Movement ( UTM) primary elections which are slated for January 3, 2019 across the Country.
NyaLonje, who officially joined UTM in October this year, made the communication through a WhatsApp message that she sent to the UTM Regional Governor for the North Leonard Njikho.
The message made available to MEC Stringer reads;
“Dear, Hon Regional Governor (North), I wish to inform you that I will not be contesting in the UTM Primary Elections for Mzimba North Constituency. I hope the Party selects a candidate with a track record of integrity.”
When asked to explain her decision, the former People’s Party parliamentarian only said that she would soon communicate her next step.
When contacted, Njikho confirmed NyaLonje’s withdrawal but could also not cite any reasons for the female MP’s decision.
“Honourable NyaLonje has indeed sent me a WhatsApp message saying that she is not contesting in the UTM Primary Elections that are scheduled on the 3rd of January and she has wished the candidates that will contest all the best. She has not put up any other reason,” said Njikho.
Njikho , however, explained that the UTM Primaries in Northern Region are expected to be highly contested.
“Preparations are going on very well. The mood is very high. We have got a lot of contestants both on councillorship and MPs. We are very prepared and the primaries will go on and am very sure that we will have a very credible primary election,” he said.
Njikho, who is the sitting MP for Mzuzu City, faces two other contestants, Deputy Mayor of the City Alexander Mwakikunga and businessman Justice Chimaliro, in competing for the UTM Mzuzu City MP ticket.
The UTM Regional Governor has since urged participants in the Primary Elections to accept the results in order to maintain peace during and after the primaries.
“Let me advise all UTM Members to maintain peace and to accept the results that will come out on the third. Let me remind them that there will only be one winner. So, whoever will win, let us support them and this is the only way we can propel our party to better General Elections,” said Njikho.
Meanwhile, as Mzuzu City MP, Njikho has also called for responsible New Year’s celebrations.
“On being an MP for Mzuzu and the Regional Governor, let me wish all my supporters in UTM and all the residents in Mzuzu a prosperous New Year.
“May they continue getting the blessings of the Lord and let us continue working hard for achieving our daily needs, we can celebrate and we can enjoy and be happy that we have come to the end of the Year and that we have joined the New Year but if we are not responsible the celebrations will not bear any fruits. So let us work hard in the New Year for the benefit of our Country,” said Njikho.
UTM will be conducting its first ever primary elections since its formation in 2018. The Primaries will also mark the first such elections in the Election Year, 2019. Political parties in the Country are in a rush to wind up their primaries and position themselves for victory in the Tripartite Elections on May 21, 2019.
