Malawi leader stays away from presidential debate
Malawi's President Joyce Banda waves to the crowd gathered in Lilongwe for the official launch of her electoral presidential campaign on March 29, 2014, in Lilongwe. AFP PHOTO/AMOS GUMULIRA
What you need to know:
- One research group has tipped President Banda to win the May 20 presidential elections with about 42 per cent, a projection his opponents have dismissed.
LILONGWE, Wednesday
President Joyce Banda on Tuesday night stayed away from the presidential debate that was attended by all presidential aspirants.
This was the second time President Banda had stayed away from a presidential debate, having failed to attend the first one.
The secretary-general of President Banda’s Peoples Party, Paul Maulidi, said the party felt the issues that were being discussed at the debate were being articulated by Ms Banda in other forums.
Opening the debate, the chairperson of the task force that organised the debate, Mr Anthony Kasunda, likened the debate to a job interview and urged Malawians to employ as the country’s CEO only a person who had attended the interviews.
PROJECTION DISMISSED
“It is up to you Malawians to chose a person who has humbled himself or herself to answer the questions you are asking,” he said.
One institution, Research Tech Consultancy, has tipped Banda to win the May 20 presidential elections with about 42 per cent, a projection that has been quickly dismissed by the opposition parties.
Mr Maulidi, however, said the research results reflect the reality on the ground.
Another research institution, Afriem, however, claims that its findings indicate that opposition party Malawi Congress Party's torch bearer Dr Lazarus Chakwera is likely to carry the day with 39 per cent.
