Voter apathy, handouts mar by-election

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has declared Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Maxwell Finiasi winner of Mtiya Ward by-election in Zomba Central Constituency.

MEC chairperson Chifundo Kachale, who announced the results in Zomba yesterday, said out of the 6 459 registered voters, only 1 113 voted, representing a 17.2 percent turnout.

Finiasi amassed 505 votes while runner-up Humphrey Rabeti of the Malawi Congress Party got 455 votes.

Kachale, a judge of the High Court of Malawi, said: “UTM’s candidate Mwalala Micah got 66 votes whereas United Democratic Front and United Party candidates Natasha Thewe and Theresa Kambale got 50 and seven votes, respectively.

“Being the first elections amidst the new laws, the exercise has been credible as there have been no misunderstandings between the commission and the electorates, as well as electoral stakeholders.”

But he expressed concern with the low-turnout of voters. He said the Zomba Gymkhana Club ground polling station was the worst in terms of voter turnout.

“Being an urban polling station some electorates are businesspersons while others are students who might have failed to come to vote,” said Kachale.

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) executive director Boniface Chibwana described the low-turnout as one of the worst.

He said although MEC and other electoral stakeholders played a critical role in mobilising the citizenry to vote, the outcome has been disappointing.

Said Chibwana: “Basic needs like adequate water supply, sanitation and electricity depend on local government, therefore, feeling uninterested in elections endangers the socio-economic development of the country.”

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust Zomba District civic education officer Kondwani Neba agreed with Chibwana, saying low-turnout frustrates elections credibility.

Since the first post-one-party local government elections in November 2000 where the country recorded about 14 percent turnout, the by-elections, particularly those of ward councillors, have been characterised by low turnouts.

During the August 2022 local government by-election in Shire Ward in Balaka, Wenya Ward in Chitipa and Lupembe Ward in Karonga about 32 percent of the total registered voters turned out.

In the October 2021 by-elections in Lilongwe, Dedza, Nkhotakota, Mzimba and Balaka, out of a combined 87 271 voters in the three constituencies and one ward, about 42 253 turned out for polling, representing 48.42 percent.

MEC records show that Bembeke Ward in Dedza District Council, with a 9.36 percent voter turnout during a November 2016 by-election, was the lowest.

Meanwhile, DPP said it has lodged a complaint to MEC against MCP on allegation that it was giving handouts to woo voters.

DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba yesterday said although they won, they have evidence that some MCP members breached Political Parties Act by distributing K15 000 and 25 kilogramme bags of maize flour to each eligible voter, a few hours before the by-elections.

“We have evidence that some MCP officials were giving people K15 000 cash and a pack of maize flour. They used money to buy votes. So, we have reported the matter to MEC,” he said.

But MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka said he was not aware of the issue of handouts. He challenged DPP to proceed to submit the complaint to MEC.

In 2018, Parliament passed a new law that bans politicians from dishing out cash handouts and other incentives during campaigns.

The Political Parties Act came into force ahead of the country’s elections of May 2019. It stipulates that candidates found buying support will be convicted, and will face fines of up to about K10 million or five years in prison.

Campaign materials such as posters, leaflets and clothing are exempt from the new law.

On the outcome of the by-election results, both Namalomba and Mkaka expressed satisfaction, saying their performance at Mtiya Ward had improved compared to the 2019 Local Government Elections.

Namalomba observed that the DPP candidate’s win in Mtiya Ward is also an indication that his party will do well in the 2025 Tripartite Elections.

But political analyst Ernest Thidwa said the results do not give any direction regarding the 2025 Tripartite Elections, since one ward cannot determine the national votes.

Mtiya Ward became vacant following the death of councillor Ramsey Kajosolo of UTM Party in June this year.