Karonga Central Constituents go to polls: MCP candidate not allowed to vote

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Voting is underway in Karonga Central constituency where five candidates are vying for a Parliamentary seat in this heavily contested by-election.

At one of the voting centres, Mwenilondo Primary School, voters were seen by our reporter  in long queues ready to cast their votes some minutes before six o’clock.

16,180 registered voters are expected to vote in this by election.

The candidates contesting are Leonard Mwalwanda of Malawi Congress Party, Ernest Mwalughali of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Frank Mwenifumbo of UTM, Shackie Mary Florence Nthakomwa, an independent and Nellie Sichali of Mbakuwako Movement for Development (MMD).

But MCP candidate,  Mwalwanda, has failed to vote because he registered in Lilongwe.

According to Malawi Electoral Commission, no transfers were allowed during this by-election process.

UTM candidate Frank Mwenifumbo cast his vote at Mwenilondo Polling Centre. He was accompanied by his wife.

The constituency has 21 poling centres.

By-election in Karonga Central are being conducted following the death of Cornelius Mwalwanda who died in office after winning the 2019 parliamentary polls on MCP ticket.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).