Mzimba citizens call for smaller constituencies
Mzimba Central Constituency residents have asked the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to re-demarcate constituencies in the district, saying ongoing delays are excluding communities in vast voting areas from development.
to be done
MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the body plans to conduct an extensive re-demarcation of all wards and constituencies this year though it has not yet received the petition in question.
He said: “A sum of K300 million ($600 000) has been allocated for this exercise in the budget that was passed by Parliament last month. It will be a national exercise and all stakeholders including political parties, civil society organisations [CSOs], traditional leaders and other stakeholders shall be consulted.”
MEC’s position is a relief to Mzimba North Constituency, an area member of Parliament (MP) Agnes Nyalonje describes as “probably the biggest constituency in the country, but one of the most underdeveloped because of its size and terrain.”
In an interview, Nyalonje said that either constituencies should be made more manageable or allocation of resources should take into account the size of constituencies.
