Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has asked pastors in Nsanje to warn people against violence during the forthcoming by-election to be conducted in Nsanje North and central constituencies.
Commissioner Arthur Nanthuru said this after meeting Tengani Pastors Fraternal at Mpatsa primary School in Nsanje central consitituency.
Nanthuru said MEC is expecting the pastors to disseminate information about the forthcoming by-election in their churches.
He added that the pastors should preach about peace during the elections.
“We have already met chiefs and trained district elections supervisory team (DEST) and today we were with pastors fraternal, we know that these people are central features of the democracy process and they are also opinion leaders and meeting them gives us full hope that the information about the elections will reach out to the people in their communities,” said commissioner Nanthuru.
He further advised people to avoid violence during this time and to observe COVID 19 measures.
He has since advised the committee to make sure that every political party is allowed to campaign freely once the campaign period is launched.
Speaking after the meeting, Tengani pastors fraternal chairman Rev Evance Mafunga said the meeting was an eye-opener as they knew little about the by-election.
Reverend Mafunga said they will take part during this exercise by informing people in their churches what they are supposed to do.
” We are leaders and we will share what we have learnt from commissioner Nanthuru, what he told us is very important and will help to have credible election as well as how we can protect ourselves from COVID 19 during this process,” said Rev Mafunga.
Nsanje Central and North constituencies are among other constituencies in the country where there will be by-election on 30th March.
The by-elections in the two areas will be held after the High Court earlier this month nullified 2019 election results for the two constituencies due to irregularities
