MALAWI OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES PEN MEC, UN ON ELECTIONS

By Charles Singini

In a rare show for solidarity, Malawi’s major opposition political parties have written Malawi Electoral Commission and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malawi expressing their dissatisfaction on how the electoral body is handling Elections preparation process. In a letter signed by Secretary Generals for AFORD, DPP, UDF and UTM, the parties have highlighted observations recorded during the recent EMDs voter registration pilot phase.

‘During simulation presentation, it was noted that the capacity of EMDs appeared inefficient with estimates indicating that single registration process may take approximately 10 minutes’ reads part of the letter.

The letter has also observed lack of an independent ICT auditor just like it was in 2020 fresh elections and have since recommended that an independent ICT auditor be recruited by UNDP.

On vote transmission, the four parties have rejected the electronic transportation and have since recommended the use of manual system and the need to have election data backed up.

Malawi Electoral Commission is yet to respond to the letter. In September next year, Malawians go to the polls to elect President, Members of Parliament and Ward Councilors. In what others are describing to be the most interesting Elections with the incumbent President, Lazarus Chakwera who lost twice to President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika before the nullification of his second election in 2020 expected to face each other for the third time.

Of recent, Chakwera, whose popularity has drastically declined following his economic mismanagement and death of Vice President, Dr Saulosi Klaus Chilima in a plane crash is being accused of attempting to use NRB and MEC to rig elections.

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