Mzuzu-(MaraviPost)—One of the losers of the recent by elections in Karonga Central Constituency, Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo, has stuck to his guns to return to court should the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) fail to explain to him, through his lawyer, Wesley Mwafulirwa, how it arrived at announcing Leonard Mwalwanda as the winner of the polls.
According to a letter that Counsel Mwafulirwa of Kawelo Lawyers wrote to MEC on Tuesday 17 November, 2020, Mwendefumbo is in the know that Honourable Mwalwanda was not a registered voter in the 2019 tripartite elections and so he did not even vote anywhere in the country. Therefore, his eligibility and victory in the polls were challengeable by law.
“We have received instructions from our client to seek further and better particulars from your office. Kindly furnish our office with evidence that Hon. Leonard Mwalwanda was in fact registered to vote at all anywhere in Malawi as of 2019. Kindly be advised that we have information that Hon. Leonard Mwalwanda did not vote in 2019. We further noted that in your letter dated 13th November, 2020 you did not give any particulars of where he was registered to vote,” reads the letter in part.
The letter has further demanded that the Commission should provide the said information by today at 4:30 PM; and failure to do so, Mwenefumbo will have no option but to proceed with legal action against the announced results for electoral disputes are supposed to be filed within very strict time frames.
Mwenefumbo is challenging the results of the November 10, 2020 by elections in Karonga Central Constituency, arguing that the said polls had some irregularities aside from Mwalwanda’s ineligibility.
This is the second time that Mwenefumbo is disputing the polls in court as in 2019 he also filed an electoral lawsuit against late Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda whom MEC announced as the winner of the then parliamentary polls.
Mzuzu-(MaraviPost)—Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it has withheld the announcement of the official results of the by elections held in Karonga Central, Lilongwe North West Constituencies and Makhuwira Ward in Chikhwawa District up until thirteen original tally sheets are submitted to the main tally centre as per legal requirement.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, MEC’s Director of Media and Communication, Sangwani Mwafulirwa, said about thirteen original tally sheets from both Lilongwe North West and Karonga Central Constituencies have not yet been submitted to the Commission and so the institution is tongue tied to announce the official results.
“The Commission sat to look into these documents. So, in the course of looking into these documents, the Commission was examining each and every result sheet received from the polling stations. So, in the course, we discovered that for Lilongwe, we did not get ten original results sheets and in Karonga, we did not get three original results sheets. So, in compliance with the law, the Commission has sent teams to go and retrieve the original results sheets and bring them to the main tally centre,” said Mwafulirwa.
However, Mwafulirwa was quick to disclose that one of the candidates in Karonga Central Constituency, Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo of UTM, has lodged a complaint that the polls in the constituency were not free, fair and credible.
He said the Commission has received the complaint from the candidate and it will look into it before announcing official results.
As of yesterday, unofficial results indicated that Leonard Mwalwanda of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was the one leading with 6,753 votes with Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo trailing him with 6, 021 votes; while Enerst Mwaluwali of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had 99 votes, Florence Nthakomwa, independent, got 89 votes and Nellie Sichali of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) amassed 13 votes.
About 13, 027 voters in Karonga Central Constituency went to polls on November 10, 2020.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—UTM candidate in the Karonga by-election, Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo, has lodged a complaint on the conduct of the election which was conducted on the 10th Novemmber, 2020 in the constituency.
Mwenefumbo, who according to unofficial results came second in the heavily contested election, has notified the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Leonard Mwalwanda was involved in numerous irregularities which render the whole process of election not free and fair, and not credible enough for declaring a winner.
According to Mwenefumbo, Mwalwanda was not eligible for vying for the parliamentary seat in the constituency as he did not registered in another constituency and he did not vote.
Other complaints include vote buying, cash hand out, allowing unregistered voters to vote and violence perpetrated by MCP cadres which hindered many UTM supporters from exercising their right to vote.
He has also taken a swipe at Minister of Homeland Security, Richard Chimwendo Banda, and MCP second vice president, Harry Nkandawire, for allegedly threatening voters during the campaign period that “whoever will vote for Hon. Mwenefumbo will not benefit from NEEF and other services provided by Malawi Government because those services are for Malawi Congress Party only and they are in government.”
“This created voter apathy among those who wanted to vote for Hon. Mwenefumbo,” Mwenefumbo argues.
Unofficial results from the by-election in the heavily contested Karonga Central Constituency have shown that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate, Leonard Mwalwanda, has won the seat after amassing 6763 votes.
Mwenefumbo follows with 6021 votes.
If the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) goes ahead to declare Mwalwanda winner, he will replace his uncle, Cornelius Mwalwanda, who died while serving as parliamentarian for the area on July 16 2020.
According to the unofficial results announced at the district’s tally centre-Maghemo Secondary school, Ernest Mwalughali for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is third with 99 votes.
Independent candidate Shackie Mary-Florence Nthakomwa comes fourth with 89 votes, while Nellie Sichali of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) is fifth with 13 votes.
Elsewhere, Mphatso Boti of MCP has also emerged a winner in Lilongwe North West Constituency followed by independent candidate, Goodwell Ndiwo Banda while Chikwawa Makhwira South Ward has gone to United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Isaac Sten Hodges.
Leonard Mwalwanda: now parliamentarian for Karonga constituency
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has maintained its grip on power in Karonga Central and Lilongwe North West constituencies following a triumph by its candidates, Leonard Mwalwanda and Mphatso Boti, in the Tuesday’s by-elections.
Unofficial results from the by-election in the heavily contested Karonga Central Constituency have shown that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate, Leonard Mwalwanda, has won the seat after amassing 6763 votes.
He is followed by arch rival Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo of UTM party who got 6021 votes during the Tuesday November 10 polls.
If the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) goes ahead to declare Mwalwanda winner today, he will replace his uncle, Cornelius Mwalwanda, who died while serving as parliamentarian for the area on July 16 2020.
According to the unofficial results announced at the district’s tally centre-Maghemo Secondary school, Ernest Mwalughali for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is third with 99 votes.
Independent candidate Shackie Mary-Florence Nthakomwa comes fourth with 89 votes, while Nellie Sichali of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) is fifth with 13 votes.
Elsewhere, Mphatso Boti of MCP has also emerged a winner in Lilongwe North West Constituency with 12156 votes followed by independent candidate, Goodwell Ndiwo Banda, who has amassed 9212 votes while Chikwawa Makhwira South Ward has gone to United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Isaac Sten Hodges.
Despite witnessing a campaign that went violent, leaving 12 people injured, people of Karonga Central Constituency yesterday voted peacefully to elect their new Parliamentary representative, without major incidents of violence.
There were of course small pockets of incidents that could have led to violence, like at Mlare, where some people were preventing others from voting, but the situation was quickly dealt with by the police.
Braving the scorching sun, both the old and the young came out in large numbers to vote, an exercise aimed at finding a replacement to late Mwalwanda.
Mwenefumbo, a well known political figure in Malawian politics, has been a parliamentarian for the Karonga Central twice: 2004 to 2009 and 2014 to 2019.
On the other hand, Leonard Mwalwanda is new on the political stage and he might have enjoyed support in the constituency because of his uncle and MCP factor.
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.
Negracious Justin: Communications and Public Relations Strategist
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Citizens For Transformation, a political movement which is a product of political struggle in the country, has dispelled allegations that Minister of Civic Education and National Unity Timothy Mtambo, who is also the founder and Commander-in-Chief of the grouping, used siren vehicles when he stormed the Northern region over the weekend.
Mtambo, together with Homeland Security Minister, Richard Chimwendo Banda, were in Karonga to woo support for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Leonard Mwalwanda ahead of the November 10 by-election.
However, social media on Monday was abuzz with allegations that the two ministers used siren vehicles, a privilege only accorded to the State President and his vice according to the law.
Reacting, CFT Communications and Public Relations Strategist, Negracious Justin, has described the allegations as a product of smear campaign and propaganda aimed at tarnishing the image of the CFT leader who has proved to be one of the crowd puller in the country.
“We would like to place it on record that the aforesaid allegations are not true and are nothing but a product of a systematic smear campaign and propaganda, perpetrated by CFT’s rival groups and the UTM party agents who are clearly on a mission to tarnish the image of the CFT and its leadership. The said allegations are also part of the rivals’ overall stratagem to sow seeds of division in the Tonse Alliance, led by his Excellency, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera,” reads the statement in part.
In the statement, Justin further contends that there are some UTM top officials who are sponsoring some members of the media to spread fake news in order to score political points and dent the image of Mtambo and CFT.
“The CFT has been following all the various other acts of insults (through paid social media PR agents) from some overzealous UTM supporters and leaders which are all designed at denting the image of the CIC and the movement. In the spirit of peaceful co-existence, the CFT has often chosen not to respond to these allegations.
“Honourable Mtambo is a charismatic, Civilised and a peace loving politician who always pulls big crowds in the Constituency, purely on account of his issue based campaign messages, a phenomenon that does not sit well with some rival political groupis that are also going for the same parliamentary seat,” the statement reads further.
According to Justin, this is not the first time UTM officials have published “Cheap propaganda” as every time which Mtambo visits the constituency to drum support for MCP candidate Mwalwanda, the counterparts create fake news to divert people’s attention from strong campaign messages made by the MCP entourage.
While recognizing freedom of the press, CFT has implored on the media to verify the stories before the same can be published for public consumption to avoid misleading the public on important issues.
The parliamentary seat in Karonga Central Constituency fell vacant following the death of Cornelius Mwalwanda who won on MCP ticket in 2019 parliamentary elections.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—As the Karonga Central Constituency is increasingly becoming a boiling pot of emotions ahead of the by-elections, UTM candidate Frank Mwenifumbo has bemoaned lack of support from his party while his counterpart Leonard Mwalwanda is enjoying plenty support from the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Citizens For Transformation (CFT), a political movement that was founded by Minister of Civic Education and National Unity Timothy Mtambo.
Mwenefumbo, whose bid for the seat has enjoyed support from the Minister of Tourism who is also Vice President of UTM, has claimed that he is doing the campaign on his own without any support from his party.
Other UTM officials who visited Karonga Central to drum support for Mwenefumbo include. Patricia Kaliati, who is the Minister of Gender and former First Lady, Callister Mutharika, a high ranking official in the UTM.
Mwenefumbo has made the allegations while admiring his counterpart, Leonard Mwalwanda, who is receiving effective support from MCP and CFT officials.
“That’s what it costs when you compete with an opponent financed and backed by tax payers. At least it should bother every Malawian to ask the question why on earth expensive cars are rolling all the way from Capital Hill to campain for particular candidate using public funds/tax payers money.
“I am using my private resources and I am not answerable to anyone,” ranted Mwenifumbo on social media.
Mwenefumbo’s outcries have emerged following MEC’s released voter registration statistics in the Constituency whereby his base, Mwenilondo, has emerged with 1, 948 registered voters against Mwalwanda’s base, Mlale, which has recorded 8,307. The third polling centre, Lupembe, has recorded 5,927 registered voters and is considered a no man’s zone where support sways from side to side over the years.
The seat fell vacant following the death of Cornelius Mwalwanda of Malawi Congress Party.
During the 2014 Tripartite Elections, Mwenilondo area in Karonga Central Constituency was nicknamed Benghazi following frequent clashes between supporters of Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo and late Cornelius Mwalwanda.
Libya’s second populous city of Benghazi became infamous across the world for the killing of US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens on September 11, 2012 in a terrorist attack.
The firebrand human rights activist-cum-politician, Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo, permeated hostile zones in Karonga Central Constituency in round 2 of his campaign trail in the District over the weekend.
Last month, Mtambo, who is now Minister of Civic Education and National Unity in the Chakwera administration and also heading Citizens For Transformation (CFT) movement, launched his by-election campaign trail in Karonga, a move that sparked divisions within CFT and complaints in the UTM fold.
In his second coming, the CFT leader invaded Mwenefumbo’s base with a rally, defying tense expectations of a feared violence.
“In the morning, there were boys who started mounting UTM flags along the route to the Whistle stop venue and threatened violence should CFT come here. They even blocked the road while chanting songs threatening against any Mwalwanda rally. We are surprised that when Mtambo came, the boys distanced themselves from the route and all of us were surprised,” commented one lady clad in UTM t-shirt and was seen waving at Mtambo’s convoy.
Mtambo, who is styled as Commander-In-Chief (CIC) of CFT is supporting the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Leonard Mwalwanda over a UTM contender Frank Mwenefumbo, a development that has resulted into a hostile cyber battle between UTM supporters and CFT.
Meanwhile, the dissidents who earlier on announced defection from CFT have since returned, citing that they were fooled into supporting UTM with promises that were never fulfilled.
Announcing the coming back of the dissidents, the CFT District Chairman in Karonga, Sahara wapa Sahara, touted CFT as a movement that does not impose membership on the people.
“As a political association, CFT does not own people. It is the people who own CFT. As a natural phenomenon, it is up to the owner to disown or continue owning something and no one will be forced. That is democracy. We welcome them back and encourage them to work hard towards our goals,” he said.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Citizens For Transformation (CFT), a political movement which was formed by former Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Chairperson Timothy Mtambo, has come in the open justifying the decision of its leader to align with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in forthcoming by-elections.
Mtambo, who is now Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, publicly campaigned for MCP candidate Leonard Mwalwanda in Karonga Central Constituency over the weekend, a move that attracted criticisms from some members of the grouping who expected CFT to be non-partisan.
Reacting to the accusations during a press briefing on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, CFT Department of Communications has condemned those who are accusing their leader saying their “argument, which looks appealing on its surface, has a deficiency of considered facts.”
According to CFT communications and public relations strategist Negracious Justin, Mtambo went to campaign in the constituency on personal capacity not as a cabinet minister as per people’s speculations.
“Firstly, it must be noted that Comrade Timothy Mtambo did not go to Mangochi West and Karonga Central Constituencies to campaign as a Minister. Just like all other Ministers belonging to different political formations go out to campaign, not as Ministers, but as members and/or officials of their respective parties, the CFT CIC went on the campaign ground as such. Accusing him of abandoning his role as a Minister responsible for National Unity over his going on the ground to campaign as a politician is surely a deficient accusation that begs merit.
“It is an accusation that comes across dressed in robes of hypocrisy and deliberate or coincidental misunderstanding of basic facts,” said Justin.
According to Justin CFT decision to support and campaign for MCP candidates in Karonga and Mangochi is based on principles of justice and fairness considering the circumstances that have necessitated the holding of the election in the two constituencies.
“On that note ladies and gentlemen, this briefing seeks to assert the position of CFT in regards to these by-elections. For avoidance of doubt, the CFT decision to support MCP candidates in Karonga Central and Mangochi West Constituencies is based on principles of justice and fairness.
“It is only fair to realize that the people of Karonga Central gave their five-year mandate to the candidate that belonged to MCP. Death, as a natural circumstance, happened (May the Soul of the late rest in peace) but that should not suspend the will of the people of that constituency. It is only just to see to it that the will of the people, which is embraced in the five-year mandate, is preserved,” said Justin.
He added: “It is only fair to realize that Simeon Harris challenged the fraud that occurred in his Mangochi West constituency. He approached the court for determination and the court found for him.
“When Mr. Harrison approached our leader for help in terms of campaign, the CFT, upon examining the circumstances reached a decision that it was only just to promote electoral justice and his request was considered favorably. On that note, CFT pledged to support Mr. Harrison accordingly. When there is a knock on door, in most cases, the attendant opens. Upon the examination of the circumstances, there is no reason for CFT to decline his request for our support.”
Meanwhile, divisions have rocked the movement following the decision of the founder to align with MCP.
A good number of the CFT members have already announced their decision to drum up support for UTM Party aspiring candidate Frank Mwenifumbo in the forthcoming by-election in Karonga Central Constituency on November 10.
Speaking to the media on Saturday at Usisya ground in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu, where UTM Party’s Kayitano Simwaka, Winnie Nyondo and Mirriam Gwalidi conducted a political campaign rally, the groups chairperson Henry Nyambose said as a political grouping that was formed to dislodge the immediate past ruthless DPP government, they feel abandoned as their leader Mtambo has never visited.
Nyambose further said the decision by their Commander In-chief to drum up support for Mwalwanda has also provoked them, saying the CFT stood by Mwenifumbo throughout the campaign in the run up to the Fresh Presidential Polls such that it is a taboo to support the MCP candidate.
He said: “We feel dejected and betrayed by Mtambo as he has never visited us since the Fresh Presidential Elections. Worse still, since his appointment as a cabinet minister, we have not heard from him up until yesterday (Friday) when we learnt that he has come to Karonga to rally behind Mwalwanda.
“That has propelled us to switch our allegiance from CFT to UTM Party so that we drum up support for Mwenifumbo whom we fought the battle together to dislodge DPP.”
CFT is an offspring of a political struggle in Malawi.
The founder and leader of the CFT Timothy Mtambo was leading the Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC), a non-Governmental organization that has been central to the fighting for the political justice in the country.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—In 2019, Saulos Klaus Chilima and Lazarus Chakwera of UTM and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) respectively, went solo into the botched presidential election with much pomp and confidence to secure victory but they were humbled by the then incumbent president Peter Mutharika.
Knowing pretty well that the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was a hard nut to crack, Chakwera and Chilima, upon getting piece of advice from different quarters who thought DPP was off track and needed a replacement, joined hands to dislodge Mutharika in the court sanctioned Fresh Presidential election held on June 23, 2020.
After the historical election, which saw Reverend Chakwera ascending to power, the two political parties have been pretending to be in cordial relationship though it was clear in the first place that the alliance would end after the election.
But the pretence is over, thanks to by-elections expected to be conducted almost five constituencies across the country. It is now becoming clear that in 2025 (or 2024) Chakwera and Chilima will go into election separately. The by-elections have said it all and the deep cracks have been exposed.
In Karonga Central Constituency, popularly known as Bhengazi due to violent acts that resurface during campaign period, MCP and UTM supporters have already assaulting each other. The constituency fell vacant following the death of parliamentarian Cornelius Mwalwanda.
As people were expecting the two alliance partners to work together by fielding one candidate, both UTM and MCP have their own shadow MPs.
MCP is being represented by Leonard Mwalwanda, nephew to the late MP Mwalwanda, while UTM is being represented by old timer Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo who was previously fighting for top leadership in the Alliance For Democracy (AFORD) before accepting to partner with Atupele Muluzi in the botched 2019 presidential election.
MCP top brass who invaded the Karonga central constituency on Saturday had advised their Tonse alliance government partner, UTM Party to stop wasting its resources campaigning in the area, saying they will retain the seat during the November 10 by-election.
Speaking in series of rallies, the group which was headed by Speaker of parliament and MCP deputy secretary general Catherine Gotani Hara, first deputy speaker Dalitso Kazombo, Minister of lands Kenzie Msukwa and Minister of homeland security Richard Chimwendo Banda all in unison said the MCP candidate Leonard Mwalwanda will inherit his late uncle, Dr. Cornelius Mwalwanda’s seat.
In his speech at Lupembe ground, Chimwendo Banda said Leonard Mwalwanda is the only candidate who knows and will complete the development projects left by his uncle.
Speaker of Parliament who was at Mwenilondo said voting for a candidate from another party is just the same as killing development in the area.
Minister of land Msukwa openly told the Katili residents that other candidates including Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo of UTM are just wasting their resources.
Addressing the gathering at Mlare area, first deputy speaker Kazombo said MCP which is the ruling party will retain the seat.
But the rivalry reached its climax when unidentified people, believed to be from UTM camp, assaulted MCP supporters on Saturday evening in the volatile constituency during the announcement of the party’s political rally scheduled for Sunday.
The incident took place at Mwenilondo Trading Centre in the area.
In an interview, MCP district chairperson Emmanuel Nkhoma said the four were injured.
“Immediately after the attack, we rushed to Karonga District Hospital for treatment,” he said.
The incident has ignited fear of violence resurfacing in the constituency ahead of the November 10 by-election.
However, MCP went ahead with the rally at Mwenilondo Primary School Ground on Sunday where it unveiled Leonard Mwalwanda as its candidate in the by-election.
Addressing supporters, the party’s second deputy president Harry Mkandawire condemned the incident.
“In a democracy, let everyone campaign freely everywhere because at the end of the day, it is the electorates who decide who to vote for depending on facts on the ground,” he said.
Mkandawire also used the political rally to urge people to register in large numbers to vote in the by-election.
Mkandawire is also on record to have mocked UTM supporters that their party was not on the ballot; therefore, MCP remains the ruling party. Mkandawire’s tantrums came following Minister Patricia Kaliati recent visit to Karonga where it is alleged that during her visit she held a meeting with women from the party where MEDF forms were distributed to women’s groups.
Mkandawire claimed that Kaliati distributed fake MEDF forms in Karonga.
He added that the first beneficiaries of the MEDF forms will be MCP supporters because its leader Lazarus Chakwera is the president.
No apology has been issued from the MCP executive and Chakwera and Chilima are still working together as nothing is being happening in the Tonse Alliance. But Chilima is another rare character; amaganiza bho heavy.
Despite UTM and MCP supporters engaging in uncivilized politics in the constituency, political campaigns in the area have been marred with violence since 2009 when late Cornelius Mwalwanda emerged on the political scene when Mwenefumbo was very hot during the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime.
The constituency is nicknamed Benghazi after a time-honoured battlefield in Libya.
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