The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Thursday announced the list of 11 aspiring presidential candidates as preparations for the May 20 general elections gathered pace.These include incumbent President Joyce Banda, Democratic Progressive Party leader Peter Mutharika, Malawi Congress Party’s Lazurus Chakwera, United Democratic Front president Atupele Muluzi, and National Salvation Front leader James Nyondo.
Other presidential hopefuls are Progressive Party Movement’s Mark Katsonga, Chipani cha Pfuko leader Davis Katsonga, George Nnesa of the Tisinthe Alliance, United Independent Party’s Hellen Singh, People’s Transformation Party leader Kamuzu Chibambo and Labour Party president Friday Jumbe.Section 51 of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act obliges the MEC to publish names of validly nominated candidates for presidential election within seven days from the last day of receiving nomination papers.
The nomination court for aspiring presidential candidates opened from 10-14 February.Umodzi Party leader John Chisi was disqualified from running for president after his nomination papers were found not to meet the minimum requirements for presidential candidates. MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said Chisi’s nomination papers were rejected by the commission for not meeting the requirements set by the Malawi Constitution. According to the Malawi Constitution, no person shall be eligible for nomination as a presidential candidate if they hold public office.“We expected the candidate to resign from his public office before presenting the nomination papers to our office in which he did not,” he said.
Source: Star Africa
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