The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on Tuesday cancelled its primary elections in the newly demarcated Karonga Lufilya Constituency at the eleventh hour after turning into the battlefield.
The development follows the new faces and names of the delegates as well as the party officials’ false promises.
According to some of the delegates who managed to talk with this publication in a random interview, the officials had their favoured candidate.
They said some delegates were transported from another constituency, Karonga Town Constituency, to the venue to participate in the election.
Apart from that, the delegates accused the party officials of lying that they would provide transport.
“We were told that they would pick us up from home, but we have come using our means. While we were waiting for their explanation, we saw some vehicles carrying delegates from Karonga Town Constituency to join us. That’s why we started chasing them,” they explained.
The development has angered the whole area, including chiefs who said that MCP is taking them as fools as the party cheated them a lot during ward by-elections, which it won.
“Even during the recent wards by-elections, MCP came up with fake promises. We thought the party had changed, but we were wrong. These elections will not happen here. If they want, they can do it in Karonga Town Constituency,” they lamented.
They then advised one of the candidates, Atusaye Nyondo, to defect from MCP and stand on an independent ticket.
According to Brian Mwakikunga, Nyondo is the constituents’ favoured candidate, but the party does not want him, hence the decision to hire delegates from Karonga Town Constituency.
“We are asking Atusaye Nyondo to let MCP play its dirt politics and stand on an independent ticket. We will vote for him and he will carry out the day,” said Mwakikunga.
Another delegate, Ellen Munthali, said Nyondo has done a number of development projects in the area, hence their support.
“He can be an independent or join DPP because we followed MCP because of Nyondo. We don’t love MCP here but DPP. So if they don’t want him there he must go back to DPP where he was. We are after development here,” she added.
Karonga district MCP chairperson Emmanuel Nkhoma asked for more time to respond while confirming the cancellation of the election.
Three candidates, namely Atusaye Nyondo, Abraham Mwakhwawa and Dr James Mwaisemba, were supposed to compete in the said elections.
