MCP Running Mate ‘Vitumbiko Mumba’ Spars with Influencer ‘Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira’ Over Alleged Duplicate Tally Sheets From Mangochi

Vitumbiko Mumba, running mate to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera, is involved in a heated Facebook exchange with social media influencer and entrepreneur Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira after Mumba posted allegations about duplicate constituency tally sheets.

In a post addressed “Followers of this page and MCP members ONLY,” Mumba claimed that Mangochi South West had produced two different constituency tally sheets and alleged that 13 districts were targeted by what he described as a deliberate effort to manipulate results. He said the same tactic  tampering with tally sheets  was used in 2014 and 2019, but that the current method appeared different.

Mumba pointed to handwriting and monitor signatures on the sheets, and singled out an entry showing 21,852 votes for a candidate he implied was being inflated. He said some media houses and influencers were using those questionable tally sheets and ignoring inconsistencies where the totals did not match the summed votes at the bottom.

“These posts were deliberate to prepare the minds of followers of this page and MCP supporters only,” Mumba wrote, adding that formal updates and steps the party has taken would follow. “Only the blind cannot see the reality,” he added in the post.

After  the post reached Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira, he replied publicly, urging calm and warning that the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has up to eight days to announce official results under the law. He framed his response as a caution against premature claims and called for people to wait for MEC’s official tally.

The online spat has drawn attention from supporters of both parties and increased tensions on social media as Malawians await the final outcome of the presidential tally. Both sides continue to post and respond in real time, amplifying the debate.

Election observers and legal experts say that while social-media evidence can raise legitimate concerns, formal complaints should be lodged with MEC and verified by election monitors and courts rather than resolved solely online. MEC has previously urged parties and the public to wait for official results and avoid publishing provisional tallies as final.

As the online debate grows, calls for calm and respect for the official process are increasing across political lines. Officials say any suspected irregularities should be reported through formal channels so they can be investigated.