Malawi Electoral Commission chief Annabel Mtalimanja has sent a flash appeal for international development partners to support civic and voter education with a third of eligible voters opting not to register and fears that even more could abstain on the polling day, our Staff Writer JAMES CHAVULA writes:
In Malawi, the run-up to general elections is a busy season, with civil society actors hitting the road in their all-weather vehicles to help the electorate understand that every vote counts.
Such is the urgency that even the most neglected roads host the overland automobiles in a rush to deliver elections everyone can trust.
However, the 4x4s adorned with distinctive donor logos have been scarce with fewer than 140 days to the September 16 general election.
Uncharacteristically, many remain confined to their everyday work as organisations accredited to provide civic and voter education are among the casualties of closing aid taps.
On the ground, a cry for greater funding is mounting in pursuit of elections that are not only free and fair, but also peaceful, inclusive and a true reflection of the democratic will of the people of Malawi.
What is at stake?
This is a blow to the civil society, the watchdogs who provide checks and balances to those in power.
Their scanty presence in both urban and remote settings speaks volumes of their enviable status as casualties of closing aid taps.
Behind closed doors, their hushed concern keeps getting louder that the country could be heading for a shunned election unless they get the desired funds to go out and inform Malawians why every citizen must vote.
The talk about the potential apathy has been on the rise since the registration period last year.
Last July, MEC accredited over 116 organisations to deliver civic and voter education. However, only a funded few were seen at work when the electoral calendar required them to rally eligible citizens to go and register to vote.
National Initiative for Civic Education executive director Gray Kalindekafe says the financial squeeze left the lucky few overstretched and far apart when it mattered.
The outcome is telling as MEC only registered about two thirds of the eligible voters.
Kalindekafe says scanty civic and voter education was not entirely to blame for the low registration numbers. Rather, he accuses opposition politicians of creating an impression that the forthcoming election that had already been rigged through the use of controversial elections management gadgets and voter registration tactics skewed in favour of the governing party’s stronghold.
“If you tell the electorate that the election has already been rigged, what will motivate them to register and vote?” he asks, rather rhetorically.
However, the lamented triumph of disinformation dials up the rising call for greater investment in civic and voter education. Just when they were supposed to ramp up mass sensitisation campaigns nationwide and give Malawians a reason to vote, they were caught unawares by donor fatigue and found so thin on the ground to confront misinformation.
Low voter turnout
Kalindekafe explains: “The drop is not entirely related to civic education. You may recall that in the first three phases of registration, opposition parties had gone to court and there were a lot of disinformation and allegation of rigging. In such an environment, voters were demotivated because they lost trust in the electoral system.
When parties stepped in to encourage their followers to register, it was too late. So we should desist from peddling unverified stories and misinformation which could make people lose interest to vote. If you tell people the election has already been rigged, why should people go and vote?”
Official figures show that about 34 percent of the eligible voters did not register for the forthcoming general election.
“As of today, the preliminary total number of registered voters stands at 7 202 756, representing 65.7 percent of the projected eligible population of 10 957 490 as projected by the National Statistical Office,” MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja reports.
At the National Electoral Consultative Forum held in Lilongwe last week, the High Court Judge expressed concern that “a majority of accredited organisations are not doing their work due to lack of funding”.
“I urge development partners to consider supporting CSOs that meet their funding creteria,” she said.
The Nice chief praised the MEC chief for the flash appeal for funds.
“This call is very important and timely because we have less than 140 days to mobilise Malawians to go and vote,” he said. “Previously, we used to have a basket fund for civic and voter education, but we don’t have it this year. Clearly, we need it back.”
Kalindekafe says the voice of political parties, candidates, traditional leaders and the clergy could help ramp up efforts to avert a possible voter apathy.
However, he states: “Political parties and contestants are the main players in these general elections, so I urge them to play a constructive role. There are certain people who trust politicians, chiefs and religious leaders more than the civil society. Their voice carries weight. As such, they should use it to encourage Malawians to exercise their right to vote.”
Concurring, Centre for Multiparty Democracy executive director Boniface Chibwana says the signs of apathy detected during the registration exercise are not good for democracy.
