National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) trust has asked electorates to exercise patience as they are waiting for official results of the 15 December parliamentary by-elections.
People of Phalombe North, Mangochi West and Mangochi North East Constituencies on Tuesday cast their votes in the court sanctioned by-elections after finding that last year’s polls were marred by serious irregularities.
In an interview after inspecting some polling centres in Phalombe North Constituency, Regional Civic Education Officer for NICE responsible for the South, Christopher Naphiyo, asked constituents to refrain from violence as they wait for results following reports that some days ago there were some violent acts in the area.
“My plea to people of Phalombe is that they should avoid violence like what happened some days ago here where supporters of some contestants clashed,” he said.
Naphiyo said he is impressed with the voting itself as turnout was high in some polling centres which he said it is good that people are exercising their right to choose a leader.
“You may see that in some of the centres that we have been people were coming in good numbers, we know that in the morning hours some centres had less electorates because they were in their gardens but in the afternoon the situation was different,” added Naphiyo.
One of the voters, 23-year-old Dickson Maluwa said he is optimistic that his vote will change the area in terms of development in the constituency.
“I came today here at Khongoloni Primary School polling centre to choose the one I know that will develop this area as a member of parliament,” said Maluwa.
In Phalombe North Constituency five candidates were on the ballot: Mabvuto Bokosi, Promise Salima, Wifred Lipita Independent candidates respectively, UTM’s Justin Mokowa and Esther Kazembe of Malawi Congress Party.
Unofficial results show that Bokosi has won with 8,256.
Meanwhile, Malawi Electoral Commission has announced that the official results are expected to be announced later in the afternoon today.
