By Jordan Simeon-Phiri, MEC Stringer.
Karonga Northwest parliamentary aspirant Promise Kaunda, has been rejected by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as his national identity card shows he has not attained the stipulated age of 21.
Kaunda intended to represent Leadership with Compassion Party (LCP) in the impending by-election.
The stunning announcement was made on Thursday at the constituency’s nerve centre, Maghemo Secondary School during the vetting of ballot paper templates by MEC officials and the District Elections’ Supervisory Team (DEST) to ascertain candidates’ eligibility.
According to MEC rejection form going to Kaunda but signed by the Karonga Northwest Constituency Returning Officer (CRO) Janet Chawinga, the below 21 age violets the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA) 40 section 1.
Reads the communication: “You were born on February 21, 2001. You will be 21 years on February 21, 2022. The Law requires anybody contesting as a Member of Parliament to have attained the age of 21 at the time of presenting one’s nomination papers.”
However, Kaunda played down the issue, saying he will fight on to rectify the anomaly before printing of the ballot papers, saying changes on his year of birth came about due to other circumstances years back.
“My birth certificate shows that I was born in 1999. But when I went to register for my national identity card with the National Registration Bureau (NRB), I reduced my birth year to 2001. However, I will write MEC through the appeal form and attach my birth certificate to authenticate my case,” he said.- Written by Jordan Simeon-Phiri, MEC Stringer.
