Poll postponement worries Nice

The National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has warned that further delays by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to conduct by-elections in the five wards could negatively affect the delivery of social services in the concerned areas.

Nice has since asked government to mobilise and release funds needed for the polls.

Last week, MEC indefinitely postponed activities preceding the holding of local government by-elections in Luchenza Municipal Council, Zomba Central [in Zomba Central Council], Msikisi in Mangochi Town Council, Chibanja in Mzuzu City Council and Khwawa in Karonga District Council.

The activities include registration and verification of voters, which were supposed to run from May 8 to May 12 2015. The by-elections were scheduled to take place on June 23 2015.

MEC chief elections officer Willie Kalonga said the electoral body arrived at the decision following government failure to release the required funds [in the current financial year].

Said Kalonga in a statement issued last week: “As a result of this delay, the commission has been unable to recruit and train registration staff, print voters’ register for verification, buy registration materials and conduct mobilisation meetings for the exercise.”

Reacting to the development, Nice executive director Ollen Mwalubunju feared the postponement will deny the concerned wards representation and a voice on developmental issues.

Mwalubunju said Nice is worried that the laws do not provide the integration of voices of the people whose areas have no representative at the council.

“Currently, this means the five wards are completely shut out; they won’t be able to voice out their views until by-elections are held. That’s against the spirit of democracy, which emphasises that every citizen must have a voice on matters that concern them,” he emphasised.