Elijah Phompho, MEC Stringer
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) deputy Regional Governor for the Central region David Kambalame on Saturday was forced to declare Samuel Office as the winner of the primary elections in Chikwawa Central Costituency which incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the area Zahil Gaffer Issa and former parliamentarian Salim Bargus did not contest.
Other candidates, Winston Mapemba and Stera Kamangira- the sole female candidate in the primary elections also boycotted the elections accusing the candidate who was declared as the winner of felling supporters outside the constituency to vote.
David Kambalame who was the presiding officer for the primary elections however in an interview said he verified names of people to vote by calling out names of people per area.
Kambalame added that he was not aware why the incumbent member of Parliament for the area Zahil Gaffer Issa and Salim bargus did not contest in the elections saying he was only given the names of contestants by the Constituency Govonor.
” As presiding officer I do not come up with people to contest. I was only given three names of people as contestants by the constituency govonor,” said Kambalame.
However in an interview Salim Bargus said he was barred to compete in the primary elections by the constituency governor and the deputy district governor for Chikwawa central constituency who said they got instruction from the party’s regional Governor Charles Mchacha
Bargus said, “I filled the nomination form and I was allowed to pay MK100,000 as a nomination fee only to be denied to meet the electoral college by the constituency leaders.”
Bargus was supposed to compete as member of Parliament for the same constituency on an opposition MCP ticket but left the party. He then added that he will announce his next move when he receive communication from DPP Secretariat having presented his concerns.
In Chikwawa west constituency the primary elections were postponed as Susan Dosi who is Challenging the incumbent MP Kennedy Maluwa accused him of getting people outside the constituency to vote .
In Chikwawa Nkombedzi Constituency where the incumbent MP Lloyd Malora is being challenged by Ben Khuleya the Primary elections were also postponed on similar grounds.
