By Nenenji Mlangeni
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Football commentator at Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Mike Bango was on Monday declared winner after defeating three other Main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) aspirants when he polled 1083 votes with his closest contender, Godfrey Jere getting 290 votes.
The party has however declared also a 37-year-old civil society player Edward Chileka-Banda as dully elected as parliamentary candidate for the party after winning in the controversial Lilongwe Mapuyu South primary elections against incumbent Joseph Njobvuyalema.
Njobvuyalema, who has been a Member of Parliament for the constituency since 1999, disputed the results and Makala Ngozo was a returning officer filed a report declaring the incumbent as the winner.
BMCP spokesman Reverend Maurice Munthali made an announcement on Monday after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) members met in Lilongwe to review the case that Chileka-Banda, who currently works with Action Aid Malawi, is the winner.
“We have come to a conclusion that Chileka Banda won the primary elections,” Munthali said.
“As MCP we will recognise Mr Chileka Banda a as the official winner,” he added.
Njobvuyalema, who has been Lilongwe Mapuyu South legislator since its creation in 1999, having been retained in the 2004, 2009 and 2014 elections. Expressed surprise on Monday when asked to comment on the decision.
He however said was consulting on the next move over the development.
MCP is conducting primary elections to identify candidates to represent the party in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.
Elsewhere, the party’s director of strategic planning, Ken Kandodo, was elected candidate for Kasungu Central unopposed.
The former finance minister, a relation of founding president Ngwazi Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, pledged to “continue from where I stopped”. Kandodo was the constituency’s MP from 2009 to 2014.
Another contender Evance Mwale polled three votes while Khwetchani Nkhoma got 29 votes.
