Balaka District has registered 40 percent voter apathy in the just ended fresh presidential election (FPE).
According to the district’s results sheet, there were 162 229 registered voters but only 97 579 cast their votes (representing 60 percent) while 64 579 did not vote (representing 40 percent).
In a press briefing at the district tally centre, district commissioner Macloud Kadam’manja described the voting process as a success.
He said: “We have successfully managed to retrieve all the staff and materials from all polling stations. We have compiled the final list of how the candidates have fared, completed filling all the necessary forms that were supposed to be completed to ensure credible results.”
Kadammanja said the district had a dedicated and hard working team and that is why they had completed the process in a short time.
Earlier, civil society organisations had called for intensified voter civic education to encourage more people to vote.
National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and CCAP Synod of Livingstonia called on political parties to prepare their followers for the presidential election and their outcome.
In the final results in the district, Lazarus Chakwera of Tonse Alliance polled 18 108 votes Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development got 850 while Peter Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party/United Democratic Front Alliance bagged 76 834 while 1 787 votes were null and void out of 97 579 votes cast.
