Aspiring candidates in the November 5 by-elections will present their nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Wednesday.
Parliamentary candidates for Lilongwe South Constituency will present papers at Malingunde TDC while candidates for Matenje Ward in Kasungu North West Constituency will present their papers at Chulu TDC.
MEC Chief Elections Officer Sammy Alfandika said in a statement on Saturday that candidates who were already accepted to contest in Lilongwe South Constituency ahead of the cancelled May polls should ensure that they have presented a letter expressing interest to contest by close of business on October 16, 2019 to the Constituency Returning Officer.
“Failure to do so shall mean that they are no longer interested to participate as candidates in the by-elections,” said Alfandika.
The commission has also told political parties that there will be no provision of nomination-by-substitution once a candidate is disqualified hence they should ensure that candidates meet all the qualifications under the electoral laws.
To be able to present nomination papers, aspiring candidates will be required to pay nomination fees.
Nomination fees for male parliamentary candidates is K500,000 while for female and people with disabilities is K250,000. The youth (less than 35 years on the day of nomination) will pay K375,000.
For Local Government Election, male contestants will pay K40,000 while female contestants and people with disabilities will pay K20,000. The youth will pay K30,000 only.
