The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says the 2020 presidential elections will be held on July 2, the 149th day of the 150 days given by the Constitutional Court.
MEC chairperson Jane Ansah revealed the date for the polls during the launch of the 2020 fresh presidential elections.
She said registration will run from 4th April to 7th June 2020 and will be conducted in four phases of 14 days each with three days for transition.
“MEC shall register those that have turned 18, or will attain voting age by 7 June 2020 or never registered as voters during the 2019 Tripartite Elections and the three by-elections held thereafter.
“All voters who registered during the 2019 Tripartite Elections and the three by-elections held thereafter, need to go and confirm if their names appear in the register for their respective centres,” said Ansah.
She added that people who have changed residences should report to the new centres to process transfers while those that lost their voter certificates can go and get duplicate certificates at the centre they registered for the 2019 elections.
According to Ansah, inspection of voters’ register will take place on 18 and 19th June nationwide while nominations of candidates shall take place on 23rd and 24th April, 2020 in Blantyre.
The candidates will be required to pay nomination fees of K2 million and the amount has to be deposited in the bank before presentation of nomination papers.
“You will notice that, due to time constraint, the nomination process is being conducted while voter registration is taking place. If there is any aspirant who is not registered we encourage them to register at any centre covered in the first phase of voter registration,” she said.
For the elections, the official campaign period shall run from 2nd May to 30th June, 2020 at 6:00 am and all contesting candidates and political parties shall be free to move around the country to sell themselves to the electorate.
“The Commission expects the candidates and their followers to adhere to the code of conduct for political parties and candidates which the candidates would have signed for. The Commission shall be monitoring all campaign activities to ensure compliance,” said Ansah.
She further advised parties to submit the names of monitors for the polls by 22nd June 2020.
According to Ansah, the Commission shall also extend invitations to both local and international observers.
The results of the presidential elections will be announced within eight days from closure of polling, which is any day from 3rd to 10th July.
The fresh election follows the nullification of the 2019 polls by the Constitutional Court. MEC is appealing against the February 3 ruling at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
