By Burnett Munthali
Maxwell Mnjemu has been elected as the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate for the northern part of Salima District, securing a resounding victory in the party’s primary elections.
He won the race after garnering an impressive total of 1,314 votes, outshining six other contenders who had hoped to represent the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Among the candidates he defeated was the long-serving legislator Yona Kaphamtengo, who has represented the constituency for at least 25 years.
Kaphamtengo managed to get only 81 votes, signaling a dramatic shift in political support and a clear demand for new leadership in the area.
The primary election results have sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Salima North, where Kaphamtengo had long been regarded as a political heavyweight.
Mnjemu’s overwhelming support suggests that the grassroots of the MCP are eager for change and are rallying behind new faces who promise to bring fresh energy to local governance.
Meanwhile, in the southern part of the district, Madalitso Mazombwe also emerged victorious as the MCP candidate after clinching 630 votes in another closely followed primary election.
Mazombwe’s triumph came at the expense of three other contenders, including veteran politician Uladi Mussa, who could only manage to secure 63 votes.
Mussa, once a powerful figure in Malawi’s political scene, appeared visibly sidelined by the electorate’s strong backing of Mazombwe’s candidacy.
The results from both the northern and southern primaries indicate a significant generational and ideological shift within the Malawi Congress Party’s local structures in Salima.
Political analysts suggest that the defeat of seasoned politicians such as Kaphamtengo and Mussa demonstrates a growing appetite for accountability, youthful leadership, and community-focused development strategies.
The MCP’s decision to allow open and competitive primaries has also been commended as a step toward deepening internal democracy and ensuring that party representatives are selected based on merit and popular support.
As the general elections draw closer, both Maxwell Mnjemu and Madalitso Mazombwe now face the task of uniting their constituencies and articulating a vision that will resonate with the broader electorate.
Their victories in the primaries not only reflect the will of party delegates but also signify a broader political transition in Salima—a district long known for its complex and deeply rooted political loyalties.
With the MCP positioning itself as a party of reform and renewal, the rise of new candidates like Mnjemu and Mazombwe may well define the next chapter of political leadership in the region.
Whether their popularity within the party will translate into success at the national polls remains to be seen, but for now, their triumphs mark a turning point in Salima’s political narrative.
