THE Democratic Progressive party(DPP), and the Alliance for Democracy(Aford) including other candidates stayed away the results -signing ceremony of the Local government by-election for Chibanja ward in Mzuzu city meant to elect a councilor who would initiate development projects for the area at council level.
The development then left the Ward- Returning Officer Lobo Tembo and the elections coordinator Victor Masina with a difficult job who had to negotiate with the National Institute for Civic Education and the election leaders the Malawi Congress party(MCP) to do the tasks for them.
The DPP Governor for the north Keneth Sanga and his candidate George Manda who boycotted the election result signing at the tally centre over allegations of fraud during voting, said his candidate and supporters would reject any results giving opposition MCP candidate Charles Mlogera unofficial lead of 486 votes representing 39.1% win.
6296 registered for Chibanja ward.
The poll results also indicated that Gibson Chisale of Aford came second with 458 votes, Manda is third with 267 votes. Independent candidate Mike Phiri 16, Esmey Jere of Umodzi party 10, and Ulaya Kaunda of Mafunde 5 votes.
The figures are for the whole of the three centers of Mbaweme CBO, New Jerusalem and Mundeba.
“We will not accept the result. We told the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) during voting that there were a lot of anomalies. People were all over around the polling centre dishing out money. Others hunted for registered voters in their homes to vote for them. I reported this at the regional MEC offices in Mzuzu hoping to make a correct decision but was busy watching.” Said Sanga.
But MCP’s Director of Elections Alexander Mwakikunga has dismissed the claims of fraud as not true.
Tembo and Masina in an interview said no body logged an official complaint.
Masina said Tuesday night that MEC would release the official results on Wednesday.
But Sanga who congratulated Baidon Msiska for winning Khwawa ward by-elections in Karonga said they will wait to be guided by the party on what to do next.
He said if the results remain the same, then people have chosen for darkness instead of light.
