Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) yesterday received the second and final consignment of ballot papers for the March 17 parliamentary and local government by-elections.
The consignment, initially scheduled to arrive through Kamuzu International Airport on Friday delayed due to a communication breakdown in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| Andrew Viano
Last Wednesday, MEC received an earlier batch of 11 pallets of ballot papers.
Speaking before dispatching the election materials to the four constituencies and nine wards nationwide, MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja said the electoral body is ready for the polls.
She said the delay in the delivery of ballot papers will not affect the electoral calendar or planned pre-poll activities.
Mtalimanja, a judge of the High Court of Malawi, said polling materials will be opened and pre-checked today at designated polling stations.
She said: “Once the ballot papers arrive in the constituencies and wards, they will be distributed immediately to polling stations.
“Our expectation is that the nearest areas will receive them by this afternoon [yesterday] while the farthest areas such as Ighembe Ward in Karonga and Goliati in Thyolo will receive them by tonight so that by tomorrow morning we will be on schedule to conduct pre-inspection and training for polling.”
Mtalimanja added that MEC has put in place all logistical and security arrangements.
“We have vans transporting ballot papers and polling materials from here [the airport in Lilongwe] to constituency tally centres and then onwards to polling stations. All logistical and security plans are in place,” she said.
In an interview yesterday, governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections Jean Mathanga expressed satisfaction with the electoral preparations.
She said apart from the delay in receiving ballot papers attributed to the instability in the Middle East, everything was on track and MEC had been forthcoming with information to stakeholders.
UTM Party director of elections Bright Kawaga also expressed satisfaction with the process, saying the party had been tracking the ballot papers from KIA to constituency tally centres.
However, he asked MEC to consider using alternative printers with more secure processes, such as those in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, in future elections.
In an earlier interview, Malawi Congress Party spokesperson Jessie Kabwila said the party was actively monitoring all electoral processes leading to the by-elections.
The official campaign period closed at 6am yesterday.
MEC will conduct parliamentary by-elections in Dedza Mtakataka, Blantyre West, Rumphi Central and Nkhotakota Liwaladzi constituencies.
On the other hand, local government by-elections will be held in Ighembe Ward in Karonga Songwe Constituency, Luwinga Ward in Mzuzu City North Constituency, Linthembwe Ward in Dowa Ngala Constituency, Chilobwe Ward in Lilongwe Chilobwe Constituency, Msitu Ward in Mchinji South Constituency, Mikongo Ward in Mangochi North East Constituency, Chanda Ward in Zomba Chikomwe Constituency, Chirunga Ward in Zomba City North Constituency and Muonekera Ward in Thyolo Goliati Constituency.
There are 241 787 voters registered to cast their ballots in 351 polling stations.
