Court dismisses injunction restraining UTM from declaring Manganya winner of Mulanje Central primaries

The High Court in Blantyre has dismissed an application for an injunction restraining UTM declaring Dr. Michael Usi as parliamentary candidate for Mulanje central constituency.

Damuson Chelewani sought an injunction on the grounds that the election never took place but the party declared Dr. Usi winner in the primary election.

According to Dr. Usi and UTM lawyers Tamando Tchokhotho, this means the earlier decision by the party still stands.

Effort to talk to Chelewani on the matter proved futile.

Usi will face Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa who is also Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for the South in the May 21, tripartite election.

UTM conducted primaries across the country on January 3, 2019 and the primaries were marred by serious irregularities.

In some districts such as Salima, the primaries were called off at the 11th hour.

Meanwhile UTM President Dr. Saulos Chilima is expected to present his nomination papers on February 6, 2019 to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) at Comesa Hall in the commercial capital Blantyre.