Big shots fall in parliamentary race
Unofficial results from the May 21 Tripartite Elections show that scores of serving legislators, including immediate past Cabinet ministers and high-ranking party officials, have been purged from the august House.
Biggest casualties from the Tuesday vote include United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi who lost to independent candidate Alhaji Anjilu Kalitendere in Machinga North East Constituency.
Muluzi has served as member of Parliament (MP) for the area since 2004.
In a statement, Muluzi said: “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have served the people of Machinga North East for the past 15 years! I would like to concede [defeat] and congratulate Alhaji Anjilu Kalitendere as he takes over the responsibility of representing the people of Machinga North East for the next five years.”
Muluzi’s presidential running mate Frank Mwenifumbo, who was contesting on Aford ticket in Karonga Central, also lost the seat he had reclaimed in 2014. Mwenifumbo’s rival for Aford presidency, Enock Chihana, was also facing a potential exit from Parliament as we went to press.
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and newly-formed UTM Party suffered similar fates.
The DPP casualties include former ministers Jean Kalilani, Henry Mussa, Emmanuel Fabiano, Aggrey Massi and Samuel Tembenu. DPP secretary general (SG) Grezelder Jeffrey also lost her parliamentary seat in Nkhotakota.
UTM presidential running mate Michael Usi and the party’s SG Patricia Kaliati lost their parliamentary bids. Kaliati lost her Mulanje West seat she held since 1999 while Usi failed to make it in his debut in Mulanje Central.
Other UTM casualties include its patron Noel Masangwi, campaign director Lucius Banda and former first ladies Callista Mutharika and Patricia Dzimbiri.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) vice-president Harry Mkandawire lost in Mzimba West while DPP vice-president (Central Region) Uladi Mussa lost the Salima South Constituency.
Alongside UDF’s Mangochi East MP Abubakar Mbaya, Mussa was the longest serving legislators having made it to the multi-party Parliament in 1994.
For the country’s oldest party, MCP, most serving legislators appeared destined to return to Parliament while the party also extended foothold to new constituencies.
Former MCP lawmakers in Salima, Jessie Kabwila and Felix Jumbe, who joined UTM and DPP, respectively, lost their bids for a return to Parliament.
