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The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it has all the evidence that MCP’s Leonard Mwalwanda who won the just ended Parliamentary by-election in Karonga Central constituency was an illegible candidate to contest as he met all the requirements for the polls.
MEC was responsing to UTM Party Frank Mwenifumbo’s claim that Mwalwanda did not register hence was not eligible to contest as Member of Parliament in the area.
The petition signed by Mwenifumbo’s lawyer Wesley Mwafulirwa claimed the by-election was not credible enough to warrant releasing the results.
The petition also alleged that Mwalwanda did not probably even register to vote, hence was not fit to compete as MP.
“Kindly furnish our office with evidence that Hon. Lenard Mwalwanda was in fact registered to vote at all in Malawi as of 2019,” reads the petition.
But MEC spokesperson, Sangwani Mwafulirwa has told Kulinji.com that Mwalwanda who emerged victorious in the poll had registered and apart from that, met all the requirements needed for one to contest.
“Let me say that we have submitted response to Honorable Frank Mwenefumbo through their lawyers on a petition they filed to us which was asking us to prove that Honorable Mwalwanda was eligible contender.
“It is up to them to proceed further if they are not satisfied with the response we have given them but we have done on our part,” he said.
Mwafulirwa added that all the signatories were verified with MEC’s database which indicated that they are from Karonga Central Constituency, hence the electoral body went ahead to approve Mwalwanda as an eligible candidate.
He says MEC remains committed to deliver free, fair and credible elections to people hence it can not mess up any electoral process.
Mwalwanda fought off competition from Mwenifumbo after amassing 6,763 votes against his opponent’s 6,021 to win the election.
Democratic Progressive Party’s Ernest Mwalughali only managed 99 votes, independent candidate Mary Florence Nthakomwa got 89 with Mbakuwaku’s Florence Sichali (MMD) securing 13 votes.
A total of 16,180 people cast their votes.
The seat fell vacant following the death of MP for the area Cornelius Mwalwanda, Mwenifumbo’s fierce opponent.
Credit; Kulinji
