People in Mangochi West, Mangochi North East and Phalombe North constituencies will vote today in by-elections which are being held following the nullification of 2019 election results.
The by-elections are the second to be held within this year after the electoral body presided over a similar exercise on 10 November, 2020.
About 27,190 voters are expected to cast their votes in Mangochi West while Mangochi North East and Phalombe North constituencies have 31,501 and 28, 670 voters respectively.
Simeon Harrison (Independent–but backed by Malawi Congress Party), Geoffrey Chisomo (Democratic Progressive Party–DPP), Rueben Kanyama, Goman Banda, Joyce Chikumba – all Independent – and Stanley Phiri (UTM) are lining up to fight each for Mangochi West constituency.
Mangochi North-East has Idi Kalosi (United Democratic Front –UDF), Martin Sekati Nyengo (independent) and Duncan Kassim (independent) as competing candidates.
In Phalombe North, the competing candidates are: Esther Kazembe (Malawi Congress Party –MCP), Promise Salima, Wilfred Lipita and Mabvuto Bokosi – all independent and Justin Mokowa (UTM).
In an interview on Monday, MEC director of media and public relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa said saying all the polling centres in three constituencies have received the materials needed.
“We have delivered polling materials to all the centres. So far so good, the distribution exercise since Sunday has been successful,” he pointed out.
Mwafulirwa further said the commission will uphold covid-19 preventive measures to ensure that no-one gets the virus while voting.
To this end, he asked all eligible voters to come in large numbers and take part in a vote.
Meanwhile, National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Public Trust civic education officer (South) Christopher Naphiyo has commended MEC for timely distribution of materials, saying this will give more room for correcting mistakes.
“I am impressed with timely distribution of materials by MEC. This will ensure a free, fair and credible election and I am sure, where they have shortfalls, they will address them before we go to the ballot,” he said.
