Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja has appealed to constituency returning officers and desk officers to ensure that they adhere to the protocol in transmitting results in the March 17 by- elections.
Speaking on Wednesday during a training of constituency returning officers and desk officers at Mponela in Dowa, she said transmission of results is crucial to ensure that election results are credible.
Said Mtalimanja: “As you are aware, the commission used both physical and electronic results to manage the results of the general elections which worked very well. The commission has not departed from that protocol, going forward we will continue using that even in this by-elections.”
On Tuesday, MEC trained constituency civic and voter education assistants on counting of votes, transmission of results and how the electorate can manage ballot papers.
One of the participants Esau Chilowa, a civic and voter education assistant for Mankhamba Ward in Dedza Mtakataka Constituency, said the training helped equip them with the skills and knowledge to ensure that they impart the right information to the electorate.
“We have a big role to play in ensuring that we impart the right information to the electorate, particularly on the marking of ballot papers to help reduce the null-and-void votes,” he said.
MEC will hold a by-election in Linthembwe Ward in Dowa Ngala Constituency on March 17.
