Assani, Kunkuyu triumph in PP primaries
Minister of Justice Fahad Assani on Monday trounced Olivia Mchaju-Liwewe during People’s Party (PP) primary elections for Nkhota-kota South Constituency.
Assani was expected to face incumbent member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Cassim Chilumpha, before the latter unexpectedly resigned from the party last week.
PP deputy secretary general George Zulu, who is also in charge of PP primaries in the Central Region, and Assani confirmed the news in separate interviews on Wednesday.
Zulu said Assani got 6 166 votes against Mchaju-Liwewe’s 2 096.
In Nkhotakota Central Constituency, Clement Stambuli was given the chance to try his luck at returning to Parliament after being in the wilderness since 2009.
“Incumbent MP Edwin Banda withdrew from the race soon after polls started, saying he would support the incumbent. But since we had already prepared the ballot, elections had to go ahead,” Zulu said.
However, several incumbent MPs belonging to PP such as Bauleni Manna for Dowa East, Agnes Penemulungu for Lilongwe City South East and Edwin Bagwanji of Lilongwe City West have lost to candidates who are not well known.
But newcomer to Dedza South Constituency Moses Kunkuyu was endorsed by party structures and is expected to represent the party during the May 2014 polls.
According to PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda, Kunkuyu, who is Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, floored his only challenger Jacinta Chinkombero.
Kunkuyu switched constituencies, opting to represent the ruling party in Dedza South, whose current legislator is former Malawi Congress Party president John Tembo.
In Ntchisi South, the incumbent MP, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Ulemu Chilapondwa defeated Christopher Chabwera.
Msonda said primaries were conducted in most parts of the Central Region the past four days and a report was being compiled.
Over 25 candidates for the ruling PP in the Central Region have sailed through the primary elections unopposed, a development which has been condemned as lack of intraparty democracy.
The PP primaries move to the Eastern and Southern regions where close to 80 seats are up for grabs.
