MEC says ballot papers ready

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it has finished printing of ballot papers for the October 17 by-elections to be conducted in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Dedza and Nsanje.

MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the ballot papers are currently being kept at their head office in Blantyre awaiting dispatch to the respective councils this Saturday.

In a statement, Mwafulirwa reminded all contesting political parties and candidates to send their monitors to witness the process, together with civil society organisations (CSOs), of opening of the room where the ballot papers are being kept, the dispatch and arrival in the councils as well as the pre-inspection exercise.

“On October 15, the ballot papers and other polling materials shall be dispatched to the polling centres from the councils. Political parties and candidates are advised to send their monitors to witness this exercise which shall start from 9am at the council offices,” reads the statement.

According to MEC, pre-inspection of polling materials in all the polling stations will be held on October 16 where presiding officers shall open the materials to check if they are in good order and quantity.

MEC is holding parliamentary by-elections in Nsanje Lalanje, Lilongwe South East and Lilongwe Msozi North constituencies.

In Nsanje Lalanje and Lilongwe Msozi North the by-elections are being held following the death of former parliamentarians Sam Ganda of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Highton Jiya (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) respectively.  In Lilongwe South East, the by-elections are as a result of the Supreme Court of Appeal order to have a re-run after nullifying the 2014 outcome. n