BLANTYRE--Former Chief Executive Officer of Malawi Electricity Supply Cooperation (Escom) Kandi Padambo and Trade Unionist Austin Kalimanjira will tussle with incumbent United Democratic Front (UDF) Secretary General (SG) Kennedy Makwangwala for his position at a national convention slated for next Tuesday in Blantyre.
 Inside sources have told MaraPost that the challengers have already submitted their nomination forms.
 
On the other hand, Atupele Muluzi, Moses Dossi and George Nga Mtafu will compete for party presidency.
 
The party has roped in Unandi Banda of the National Election Systems Trust (Nest) as presiding officer at the convention.
 
Early this week, chairperson of the organizing committee, Lillian Patel, told MaraPost that 104 contestants will gun for 50 constitutionally recognized positions.
 
At the convention, delegates will elect national treasurer, first and deputy national chairpersons, presidential candidate, regional governors and campaign directors among other top positions.
 
Meanwhile the party says all names of the contestants will be officially announced at a press briefing before the end of this week.
 
The deadline for the submission of nomination forms has been pushed to Friday to give candidates more time to submit their forms.

The convention is in preparation for the 2014 general elections. UDF, under Bakili Muluzi, won the country's first multi-party elections in 1994 and remained in power until 2004.
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© The Maravi Post 2012. Reproduction without acknowledgement prohibited