MEC warns on ineligible candidates

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has warned aspirants that it will disqualify any candidate who does not meet the commission’s criteria for contesting in the tripartite elections.

In a statement on Tuesday, MEC emphasised that no person shall qualify for nomination for President unless he or she has attained the age of 35 or above and that those contesting for parliamentary and councillors’ positions should be 21 years old or above.

But the commission said there is no minimum academic qualification for one to contest in the presidential, parliamentary or local government elections.

In an interview, the commission’s spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa clarified that MEC does not ask candidates to produce any education certificates when they want to contest.

“However, all candidates should be able to speak and read English language well enough to take an active part in the proceedings of the council,” said Mwafulirwa.

The statement, signed by MEC chief elections officer Willie Kalonga said eligible candidates must not owe allegiance to a foreign country, must not be declared bankrupt or to be of unsound mind and must not work in any public office.

Reads the statement in part: “No one shall qualify for nomination to contest in the election of President, Member of Parliament and Ward Councillor, if the person has, within the last seven years, been convicted by a competent court of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or of violation of any law relating to elections.”