Submission of nomination papers failed to start on Monday in Chiradzulu North constituency due to unavailability of candidates.
According to Constituency Returning Officer (CRO) for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) at Nyungwi Teachers Development Centre, Getrude Masamba, candidates didn’t show up for the exercise based on various reasons.
Masamba said most aspirants failed to verify their forms beforehand as stipulated by the Commission, leading to delays in submitting the same.
“We failed to start on Monday because most aspirants were not ready with their papers. It is unfortunate given the fact that they were given enough time to do the exercise before submission,” she said.
Masamba added that some hopefuls are yet to pay their nomination fees, giving an impression that they will give the officers a daunting task on the final day (this Friday).
Redge Ben Gopanikufa, a CRO at St. Michaels TDC in Chiradzulu west constituency, shared the same sentiments saying many candidates skipped the screening process which in turn has given MEC officers problems in processing the papers.
Gopanikufa said despite being given separate days of submission, candidates are just storming the TDCs to screen their papers and submit them at once, inconveniencing the officers in the process.
Meanwhile, MEC says it will not extend time for presentation of nomination papers for presidential candidates.
On Wednesday, Chiradzulu East DPP parliamentary candidate, Henry Mussa, presented his papers at Ndunde TDC with pomp.
Clearing the mist on his long service as MP, Mussa said he is not retiring anytime soon as he has a number of projects to implement for the betterment of the people.
The exercise continued on Thursday when Mussa’s main opponent, Joseph Nomale, submitted his papers at the same TDC.
