Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has refunded nomination fees to presidential and parliamentary elections contestants who scooped over five percent of vote during the May 20 controversial tripartite election.

MEC Chief election officer Emmanuel Chinkwita Phiri confirmed of the development in an interview with the press on Tuesday.

“Only four of the 11 presidential candidates during the May 20 elections managed to amass over five percent of the national vote and I can disclose that they have been refunded their nomination fees.

“For the Members of Parliament I would say that we are in the process of refunding them and that a good number of them have already got their nomination fees,” he said.

The four political parties that have been refunded their nomination fees are; the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former ruling People’s Party (PP).

Mec pegged K1million nomination fee for presidential aspirants regardless of gender while male candidates who contested for parliamentary seat paid K200, 000 while their female counterparts paid K150, 000.