9 000 prisoners vote in tripartite elections

The Centre for Human Rights Education Assistance and Advice (Chreaa), which was accredited by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to conduct voter and civic education as well as monitor the elections in all prisons in Malawi, has said over 9 000 inmates voted in the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

In a statement issued yesterday, the NGO says it reached out to about 11 900 prisoners across the country to prepare them for the elections.

“Null and void votes were recorded at 245. A large number of null and void votes were recorded in prisons where prisoners voted at the main polling centres in districts or where outsiders voted in the prisons.

“Less than five percent of these votes were on presidential votes and the rest covered the councillors’ and parliamentary votes. This was attributed to the fact that the prisoners did not know the aspirants,” reads the statement, signed by Chreaa executive director Victor Mhango.

According to the statement, in all prisons, Chreaa monitors and observers reported that some prisoners failed to vote because they had not done transfers at the time they were arrested and incarcerated.

“Others, did not vote because they had been released. In most polling stations in prisons, voting started late, which led to loss of interest to vote by some prisoners. Prisoners also raised concerns on the need to change the law that prohibits political parties from conducting campaigns in prisons as this restricted their access to information,” reads the statement.

The Chreaa voter and civic education project in prison was funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust.

Malawi is among the few countries in Africa that permit prisoners to vote.