Africa-Press – Malawi. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member Everton Chimulirenji has announced that he will contest the Ntcheu North West Constituency on an independent ticket.
Chimulirenji, who was running mate to DPP torchbearer Peter Mutharika in the annulled 2019 elections, said he is unhappy with how the party handled the primary elections, in which he reportedly emerged victorious but the party chose Jane Ansah.
“In the primaries, the party declared me the winner, but I was surprised to receive a call in May saying the results had been suspended because they had received a complaint from Ansah alleging irregularities. The party then nullified the results,” Chimulirenji said.
The party subsequently announced a re-run, but Chimulirenji obtained a court order to stop the party from holding the election.
“While we were waiting for an inter partes hearing, some party members endorsed Ansah.
To me, this was defying a court order because there was an existing injunction. However, I withdrew the matter and have now decided to contest on an independent ticket,” he said.
Shadrick NamalombaChimulirenji said he feels the party has been unfair to him but still remains a member.
“I am still a bona fide member of the party, but I was treated unfairly,” he said.
However, DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said the party wishes Chimulirenji well but insisted that according to the party’s constitution, he ceases to be a member as the party does not allow independent candidates.
Chimulirenji became the party’s vice-president after DPP triumphed in the 2019 polls.
However, the court nullified the elections after Malawi Congress Party and UTM challenged the results, saying they were marred by irregularities.
The courts ruled that following the nullification, Chimulirenji was never Malawi’s vice-president.
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