MEC bars another candidate

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has disqualified Medson Grandson Nkhoma, a parliamentary candidate in the May 21 Tripartite Elections, for continuing to work as a public servant after presenting nomination papers.

Nkhoma, who was contesting the Dowa South East Constituency on an independent ticket, becomes the second candidate to be disqualified after Bakali Osman, a United Democratic Front (UDF) parliamentary candidate for Blantyre North East.

Osman was disqualified last week for allegedly forging a Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) to win his way to the ballot.

Nkhoma is reported to have continued holding a public office after submitting nomination papers contrary to Section 51(2)(e) of the Malawi Constitution.

The section stipulates that no person shall be qualified to be nominated or elected as a member of Parliament if that person holds, or acts, in any public office or appointment.

In a statement signed by MEC chief elections officer Sam Alfandika, the commission found that Nkhoma was still working with the Road Traffic Directorate despite being a candidate.

“Upon getting confirmation from the Directorate, the commission has resolved that Nkhoma be disqualified as a parliamentary candidate for Dowa South East,” reads the statement in part.

In a separate letter to Osman which The Nation has seen, MEC found that the certificate that he submitted with his nomination papers was fake.

Osman, who was arrested by Blantyre Police, has since been released on bail. He will appear in court to answer charges of uttering a false document.

Early this month, the country’s former vice-president Cassim Chilumpha was also struck-off the list of presidential candidates in the May 21 Tripartite Elections following a High Court judgement that he could not represent Tikonze People’s Movement (TPM) in the race.