By Cathy Maulidi:

Political parties are facing a tight schedule to complete their primary elections as the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) calendar stipulates that parliamentary aspirants must file their nomination papers by June.

Currently, disagreements are disrupting the holding of primary elections in the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

In Lilongwe Msinja South Constituency, for example, MCP’s primary elections have been repeatedly postponed, with a new date yet to be determined.

In other constituencies, disputes have escalated to court, further complicating the process.

Despite these challenges, the Mec calendar remains firm on the June deadline for presidential and parliamentary nomination submissions.

DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said despite the disagreements, the party had made progress and was confident that it would meet the Mec deadline.

“We have completed primary elections in the most contentious constituencies. We are now focusing on the Central Region, where many candidates are running unopposed. We are at 95 percent completion rate in the Southern and Northern regions. We are on schedule,” Namalomba said.

However, the MCP faces more significant hurdles, with several constituencies still awaiting rescheduled election dates following incidents of violence.

Contestants in other constituencies are caught up in legal battles.

MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila maintained that the party would adhere to the Mec calendar, asserting that most issues had been resolved.

“MCP is a well-structured party and we will meet the deadline. External parties should refrain from interfering in our internal matters. Not all primaries have been problematic; many have proceeded smoothly.

“We are addressing the challenges in a few constituencies while keeping [the issue of] the calendar in mind. We are united in our goal to secure President [Lazarus] Chakwera’s re-election in September 2025,” Kabwila said.