Phalombe South Constituency parliamentarian Mary Mpanga has been declared as the torchbearer for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the May 21 elections.
This follows primary elections held on Friday in the area where she went unopposed after five contenders failed to show up claiming the party officials wanted Phanga to win.
The five are Innocent Buleki, Bob Chingwalu, Isaac Bwanali, Tiaone Hendry and Rose Kubwalo who in their letter addressed to the DPP governor for the south complained of combination of party’s 176 electoral colleges with 233 reportedly established by Mpanga.
The aspirants said they felt that the sitting legislator is being favoured by the party in many ways and they asked the party officials not to go on to conduct the elections which were rescheduled after they were not held on December 20 last year.
“We believe that the party has already chosen a candidate for it during the 2019 elections. This is because there is no way 6 aspirants can compete on 176 areas against 233 which are one sided and are biased.
“With this appeal we therefore notify you that we do not recognise any primary elections to take place on Friday 11th January 2019,” reads part of the letter.
The DPP did not respond to the letter but instead sent deputy director of women Yasinta Chikaonda who presided over the primary elections for councillors on Friday and declared Mpanga as the winner since she had no available opponent.
However, during the elections Malawi24 was tipped by a reliable source within the six aspirants’ camp that they were trying to obtain an injunction from the High Court to stop the process.
In a post-elections interview Mpanga said: “I want to thank people for giving me another chance, I know this is because of what I have done in the past four and half years and I hope that I will deliver more once voted onto power again.”
In elections for councillors, Fedson Thomas won with 764 votes in Likulezi Ward against 623 votes and 127 votes for Maxwell Kathumba and Rex Minjolo respectively.
In Mpasa Ward, Bernard Komwa won with 2812 votes against 172 and 164 of Ireen Malata and Madalitso Shushera respectively.
