Chakwera, Chisi submit papers
Chakwera, Chisi submit papers
Chichiri International Conference Hall in Blantyre was a hive of activities on Monday as presidential candidates for the May 21 Tripartite Elections started submitting their nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera was the first in this week-long exercise, followed by John Chisi, Umodzi Party torch bearer.
MCP supporters were ferried to the venue as early as 7am amid chanting and loud music in coasters, lorries and small vehicles, causing a traffic jam on the Masauko Chipembere Highway.
Flanked by his wife Monica, running mate Muhammad Sidik Mia and hundreds of MCP supporters, Chakwera handed his nomination paper to MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah at around 10am amid chanting from supporters.
Chisi, on the other hand, was accompanied by his first born daughter Towera, his little known running mate Timothy Kamulete, some party executive members and a handful of supporters.
Aside from submitting the nomination papers, the candidates were also made to sign a code of conduct where they committed to conduct a peaceful campaign.
According to MEC’s chief elections officer Sam Alfandika, 24 presidential hopefuls collected nomination papers from the commission, but not all have paid their nomination fees.
Speaking to reporters in separate interviews after submitting their nomination papers, both Chakwera and Chisi promised to bail Malawians out of poverty and corruption.
Said Chakwera: “We are ready. I am here to represent a new type of leadership, one of servant hood. I am here in order that Malawians might indeed experience the level of unity they have never experienced before; in order that we prosper together. This is truly a vision that we can achieve if we break this confederacy of corruption, fraud and theft.”
Later, Ansah held a press briefing where she explained satisfaction with the start of the exercise.
She also announced that two other presidential hopefuls, Florence Fulayi (independent) and Cassim Chilumpha (Tikonze Peoples Movement-TPM), did not submit their nomination papers on Monday afternoon as they had asked the commission to give them more time.
Said Ansah: “This is the beginning of one of the important processes in an election. So far, we have received from two but there were two more aspirants who were supposed to submit their papers this afternoon but they asked that we reschedule their time. However, let me emphasise that this exercise ends on Friday, February 8 2019 and there will be no extension after the set dates.”
After the exercise, MEC is expected to scrutinise the nomination papers and seven days later declare the candidates duly registered.
According to a MEC schedule, Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) will be the first to submit his nomination today, followed by former president Joyce Banda, who is People’s Party (PP) torch bearer, and Chris Bulachano of the Democratic Federal Alliance (DFA).n
