By Burnett Munthali
The High Court in Lilongwe has granted an injunction to Madalitso Brown Mazombwe, effectively stopping the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) from conducting a re-run of the party’s primary elections in Salima South Constituency.
The re-run, which was scheduled to take place today, has been put on hold following the court’s decision.
Mazombwe approached the court seeking legal redress after the party’s decision to nullify the previous election results and proceed with another round of voting.
Two weeks ago, Mazombwe was declared the winner of the MCP primary elections in Salima South after defeating three other contenders.
Among the defeated aspirants were the incumbent Member of Parliament Christopher Mmanja, veteran politician Uladi Mussa, and Richard Kwalira.
The initial elections were marked by intense competition as party supporters turned out in large numbers to select their preferred candidate.
However, the outcome did not sit well with the losing candidates, who soon raised complaints alleging irregularities in the voting process.
They formally requested the MCP leadership to organize a re-run, citing procedural flaws and possible manipulation.
In response to the growing controversy, the party planned to hold another round of primaries to address the concerns raised by the aggrieved candidates.
But Mazombwe, confident in the legitimacy of his victory, challenged the decision in court, arguing that the results should stand.
He contended that the calls for a re-run were unjustified and that the election was conducted in accordance with the party’s electoral guidelines.
The court, after examining the arguments presented, ruled in favor of Mazombwe by granting an injunction to suspend the re-run.
This legal development puts MCP’s internal electoral process in the spotlight, raising questions about how the party handles disputes and internal democracy.
Political observers are watching closely as the case unfolds, with some suggesting that the outcome could influence how other constituencies handle contested primaries.
For now, Mazombwe remains the MCP’s candidate for Salima South, pending any further legal or political developments.
