Malawi’s electoral body printing ballots locally

Major players in Mzimba by-elections in northern Malawi have raised fears that the decision by the Electoral Commission (EC) to print in-house ballot papers for the October 9 polls will be prone to fraud and rigging.

EC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa confirmed that the printing exercise has started at their head office in the commercial city, Blantyre.

“All contesting candidates and political parties have been asked to send representatives to observe as one way of guaranteeing transparency,” he said, adding that this is not the first time EC printed ballot papers in-house.

By Monday, most political parties had sent their representatives to monitor the exercise, but some independent candidates were yet to do so.

Rigging fears

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) publicity secretary Nicholas Dausi said they were concerned because People’s Party (PP) has already shown desperation that they want to win the elections at all cost.

Alliance for Democracy (Aford) elections committee chairperson Dan Msowoya said his party was only informed to send a representative Monday.

“We feel the printing of ballots [locally] is unethical and is something I have never heard of. EC has no secure premises and equipment to print the ballots,” said Msowoya.

Independent candidates for Mzimba Central Joseph Kachali and Mzimba South West James Nthala were yet to send their representatives to monitor the printing exercise.

Kachali said he was not happy that the ballots were being printed locally while Nthala said he was not represented at the printing exercise.

‘No cause for alarm’

PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda said there is nothing to worry about since all parties and candidates were asked to send monitors.

Centre for Multiparty Democracy executive director Kizito Tenthani said his organisation and contesting candidates were briefed about the arrangement and no one objected at the meeting.