As Malawi Congress Party (MCP) chairperson for the Convention Steering Committee, Kezzie Msukwa was announcing names of candidates who have been accepted by the party to contest, the High Court sitting at Lilongwe was delivering a ruling against barring of candidates.
Among others, the party has rejected nominations for Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba who was contesting for the position of First Vice President, Alex Meja and Chatinkha Chidzanja Nkhoma who were eyeing the secretary general’s office.
According to Msukwa, the three are among 20 candidates whose nominations have been rejected for not holding known positions within the party for the past two years.
He said they were looking for candidates who have shown loyalty to the party and Chakwera, as well as those who have been active on the ground.
However, delivering a ruling in a case which MCP member Eddie Banda was challenging the party’s imposition of the eligibility criteria for aspirants, judge Howard Pemba said the move contravenes the party constitution.
The resolutions were made by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of MCP at their recent meeting.
Pemba said the NEC has no authority to pass eligibility criteria which is contrary to the provisions of its constitution.
This means that all those who have been rejected by the party will still be able to contest at the convention.
Nsukwa said the party received 224 nominations for all positions, and 205 have been accepted.
