WHEREAS the Malawi Electoral Commission ‘hereinafter called the Commission’ received nomination papers from aspiring Parliamentary candidates in all the Constituencies in the Republic of Malawi at diverse Council Headquarters throughout the Republic from 10th to 14th February, 2014;

WHEREAS the Commission analysed all the nomination papers of all the Parliamentary candidates;

WHEREAS the Commission took cognizance of the qualifications and disqualifications of a Parliamentary candidate in accordance with the following:

Malawi Constitution
Section 51(1): A person shall not be qualified to be nominated or elected as a Member of Parliament unless that person—

1. (a)  Is a citizen of the Republic who at the time of nomination has attained the age of twenty-one years;
2. (b)  Is able to speak and to read the English language well enough to take an active part in the proceedings of Parliament; and
3. (c)  Is registered as a voter in a constituency.

Section 51 (2): Notwithstanding sub section (1), no person shall be qualified to be nominated or elected as a Member of Parliament who-

(a) Owes allegiance to a foreign country;

2. (b)  Is, under any law in force in the Republic, adjudged or otherwise declared to be mentally incompetent;
3. (c)  Has, within the last seven years, been convicted by a competent court of a crime involving dishonesty or moral turpitude;
4. (d)  Is an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in the Republic;
5. (e)  Holds, or acts, in any public office or appointment, except where the Constitution provides that a person shall not be qualified from standing for election solely on account of holding that office or appointment or where that person resigns from that office in order to stand;
6. (f)  Belongs to, and is serving in the Defence Force of Malawi or the Malawi Police Service; and
7. (g)  Has, within the last seven years, been convicted by a competent court of any violation of any law relating to election of the President or election of Members of Parliament or Local Government Elections.

POWERS TO REJECT

Section 40 of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act gives powers to the Commission to reject a candidate’s nomination at any time before polling if the Commission receives any evidence that the candidate was wrongly nominated and the reasons shall be furnished to the candidate so rejected.

IN PURSUANCE of Section 41A of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act; which stipulates that; After receiving nominations of candidates for election as member of Parliament under this Part, the Commission shall, fourteen days after receiving the nominations, cause to be published in the Gazette and on the radio and in at least two newspapers in general circulation in Malawi the names of all candidates who have been validly nominated for election as member of Parliament in alphabetical order of surnames.

DO HEREBY DECLARE and MAKE KNOWN that the Parliamentary candidates in the Schedule have been duly nominated to contest the 20th May, 2014 Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of Malawi in the constituencies corresponding.

Should there be any person aware of the facts contrary to the provisions above in respect of any candidate, let them write the Commission with evidence on the same on the following address:

The Chief Elections Officer, Malawi Electoral Commission, Chisankho House,
Private Bag 113,

Blantyre
or email ceo@mec.org.mw or phone Sangwani Mwafulirwa on 0 999 274 304.

Made this 28th day of February, 2014.

Justice Maxon Raphael Mbendera, SC CHAIRPERSON

(Download the  List of Parliamentary Candidates 2014  – Nomination Results)