The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected Ras Chikomeni David Chirwa’s nomination papers after the presidential hopeful failed to fulfill all requirements.
Chirwa was scheduled to submit his papers this afternoon and was together with his mother Mrs Kayange who is also his runnigmate.
MEC chief elections officer Sam Alfandika scrutinized Chirwa’s documents and noted that he failed to get all required signatures (10 in each district) and did not deposit the nomination fee of K2 million.
Chirwa failed to collect all required signatures in Dedza, Ntcheu, Machinga, Balaka, Mwanza, Phalombe, Mulanje, Likoma, Chikwawa, Nsanje and Neno.
He told Alfandika that he failed to get all required signatures because of travel restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He also disclosed that a well-wisher, who is based in South Africa, promised to give him the K2 million but failed to honour the pledge due to the lockdown in that country.
Alfandika told him to go back and get the signatures but Chirwa left the documents and stormed out of the convention centre.
According to MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa, Chirwa will be allowed to present his papers if he fulfills all requirements and present the documents to MEC by 4PM on Thursday.
Last year, Chirwa did not also submit his nomination papers for the 2019 presidential elections after failing to deposit the K2 million fee. He also failed to collect enough signatures from registered voters.
In a related development, Independent Presidential candidate Hardwick Kaliya has said he will not contest in the forthcoming polls but will endorse the alliance led by Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera.
Kaliya was expected to present his papers to MEC this afternoon.
