By Burnett Munthali
After a month of delays and internal disputes, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has successfully conducted its primary elections for Nkhata Bay Central Constituency and surrounding wards at a neutral venue in Mzuzu.
The initial primaries, which were scheduled last month, had to be cancelled due to disagreements over the voting system, sparking concerns among party members and supporters about transparency and fairness.
However, in the rerun held today, the elections were conducted smoothly, with party officials hailing the process as democratic and credible.
Lyton Ian Changa Kaunda emerged as the MCP’s parliamentary torchbearer for Nkhata Bay Central, securing a commanding victory with 184 votes.
He defeated Raphael Mhone, a former member of the People’s Party (PP) who had recently joined MCP, but only managed to garner 3 votes.
On the local government front, the race for Thotu Ward saw Zebrone Chirwa triumph with 67 votes.
Chirwa defeated the incumbent Boma Ward Councillor, Cyria Adamana Nyamwela, who secured just 2 votes, while Frank Chiumia received 4.
In Bunguru Ward, Patricia Ng’oma won convincingly with 110 votes, leaving her competitor Abraham Kamanga trailing with 27 votes.
Following Ng’oma’s victory, the Executive Director of the Nkhata Bay-based Mbawemi Women Association, Dorothy Chiumia, pledged her full support and vowed to campaign for her ahead of the September 16 polls.
MCP’s Deputy National Director of Elections, Matthias Mgomezulu, described the primaries as free and fair.
He emphasized that conducting the elections in a neutral venue allowed the delegates to express their will without interference or intimidation.
Mgomezulu called on all losing candidates to rally behind the winners for the sake of party unity and a strong showing in the forthcoming general elections.
The conclusion of these primaries marks a critical step in MCP’s preparations for the polls, as the party seeks to consolidate its presence in Nkhata Bay and strengthen its grassroots support.
As the September 16 general elections draw closer, the MCP torchbearers will now shift focus to campaigning and solidifying voter confidence in their respective constituencies.
