MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) on Tuesday cancelled its primary elections in the newly demarcated Karonga Lufilya Constituency at eleventh hour after turned into battle field.
The development follows the new faces and names of the delegates as well as the party officials’ false promises.
According to some of the delegates who managed to talk with this publication in a random interview, the officials had their own favoured candidate.
They said some delegates were transported from another constituency, Karonga Town Constituency to the venue inorder to participate in the election.
Apart from that, the delegates accused the party officials for lying that they will provide transport.
“We were told that they will pick us from home but we have come using our means. While we are waiting for their explanation, we saw some vehicles carrying delegates from Karonga Town Constituency to join us. That’s why we started chasing them,” they explained.
The development has angered the whole area including chiefs who said that MCP is taking them as fools as the party cheated them a lot during wards by-elections which it won.
“Even during the recent wards by-elections, MCP came up with fake promises. We thought the party has changed but we were wrong. These elections will not happen here. If they want, they can do it in Karonga Town Constituency,” they lamented.
They then advised one of the candidate, Atusaye Nyondo to defect from MCP and stand on an independent ticket.
According to Brian Mwakikunga, Nyondo is the constituents’ favored candidate but the party does not want him hence the decision to hire delegates from Karonga Town Constituency.
“We are asking Atusaye Nyondo to let MCP play its dirt politics and stand on an independent ticket. We will vote for him and he will carry out the day,” said Mwakikunga.
Another delegate Ellen Munthali said Nyondo has done number of development projects in the area hence their support.
“He can be an independent or join DPP because we followed MCP because of Nyondo. We don’t love MCP here but DPP. So if they don’t want him there he must go back to DPP where he was. We are after development here,” she added.
Karonga district MCP chairperson Emmanuel Nkhoma asked for more time to respond while confirming about the cancellation of the election.
Three candidates namely Atusaye Nyondo, Abraham Mwakhwawa and Dr James Mwaisemba were supposed to compete in the said elections.
