I know most of you guys come from that strip,you can quietly apply.
The Alliance for Democracy (Aford) has advertised the Rumphi Central constituency in the newspapers. The seat fell vacant a couple of months ago after the death of the party’s president Chakufwa Chihana who died in a South African hospital after undergoing a brain operation. According to the advert in Weekend Nation, the party is calling upon its members to apply for consideration in the primaries. “The Alliance for Democracy (Aford) is inviting interested candidates who want to participate in the Rumphi Central Constituency by-elections that would take place in the near future,” says the release signed by Aford national chairman and acting president Chipimpha Mughogho. The release says those that should apply must be registered voters in the constituency or those that come from Rumphi Central constituency but with traceable village headman, traditional authority and 10 names of registered voters from different areas that should support their candidature. It also says that the candidates, whose minimum qualifications are those accepted by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), should send their CVs and application letters to Mughogho. Mughogho said Sunday the party put an advert in the papers because they wanted the news to reach every interested person in the country. On why people have to apply in order to contest the primaries, Mughogho said the party looked at the importance of the constituency. “To us, Rumphi Central is very important and we want to attract a candidate that would be accepted by all the people and who should [reclaim] the seat for the party. So, we want quality,” he said. The national chairman insisted that the process would only go through application and that those that will not apply will not be accepted to contest. But he could not say when the primaries would take place only saying it would be soon after the commission announces the date of the by-election. He, nonetheless, said interested candidates should start sending their application letters now. Mzuzu University political analyst Noel Mbowela said the idea (of advertising the seat) is a brilliant one as it gives chance for scrutinising candidates. “That is a technical approach to the problems of ushering wrong people into Parliament because, if done properly and by experts, Parliament will have the best people who will provide constructive debate in the House,” he said. Mbowela noted that choosing people through conventions has never helped because people only looked at one’s popularity or wealth. He advised Aford to be transparent in the whole process if they are to achieve their ambition.
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If Iam not for myself,who will be for me?And if Iam only for myself,what am I?