Poor voter turnout has returned to mar by-elections with yesterday’s vote in three constituences and two wards showing an average of 20 percent turnout.
By 1am, processing of results was still in progress in Machinga Mikoko and Balaka Mulunguzi constituencies while in Lilongwe City Bwaila Constituency unofficial results showed that Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Precious Kabambe had a commanding lead.
On the other hand, the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was set to claim Kanjuni Ward in Machinga Central East Constituency where its candidate Twabi Lali got 2 351 votes against 764 for his nearest opponent Chimango Chinyama and 708 for Chilenje Nicodemas, both independent candidates.
The ward had 12 882 registered voters, but just 4 837 turned out yesterday.
In Uliwa Ward in Karonga South Constituency, People’s Party (PP) candidate Robert Koyi Kondowe was leading with 2 800 votes and was trailed by Wilson Mzumara of DPP with 1 609 votes. UTM Party’s Imedi Kamwendo got 70 votes while Alick Mhango of MCP had 67 votes and independent Tamala Mhango 47 votes.
The turnout in Uliwa Ward was 23 percent of the 17 913 registered voters.
In Lilongwe City Bwaila, Kabambe amassed 4 707 votes followed by DPP candidate Mike Chimzukira with 2725 votes, independent candidate Henry Muyaya got 943 votes, UTM Party’s Nellys Sendezela got 364 votes and independents Sandra Kamwendo Ndau had 152 votes, Grace Mnapo gained 27 votes and Phunziro Mvula earned 16 votes.
The constituency has 36 000 registered voters, but 8 985 voted, representing a voter turnout of 24.96 percent.
Disputes arising from the parliamentary race in the September 16 General Election prompted nullification of the results in the newly created constituency.
Earlier yesterday, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election after inspecting five polling centres in Lilongwe City Bwaila.
She said voting generally proceeded smoothly, with long queues observed at three of the centres despite isolated technical challenges.
But Mtalimanja, a judge of the High Court of Malawi, acknowledged that a few polling stations opened late after biometric voter verification devices failed to start.
At Bwaila Polling Centre, MCP monitor Lawrence Chakakala Chaziya attributed the low morning turnout to voter disillusionment, saying many people no longer believe elections lead to meaningful improvements in their livelihoods.
DPP monitor Billy Kaliko and UTM Party monitor Sellina Mbengo in separate interviews also said polling opened on time and voting was orderly, but the turnout remained poor during the morning.
One of the voters, John Saidi Mbewe, said he cast his ballot in the hope of electing a representative who would champion development in the constituency.
The vacancies resulted from court-ordered nullification of election results in Balaka Mulunguzi and Lilongwe City Bwaila and the deaths of elected representatives in the remaining constituencies and wards. No fresh voter registration was conducted in Balaka Mulunguzi in line with the court ruling.
