Karonga district elections supervisory team (DEST) chairperson David Gondwe has expressed satisfaction over voter turnout this morning in Karonga Northwest.
In an interview, Gondwe who is the acting District Commissioner said after inspecting a number of polling centres, he was convinced that the peaceful voting atmosphere will continue to give a rare opportunity to voters’ to exercise their democratic right to vote for the candidate of their choice.
“Despite the rains electorates braced the chilly weather to come and cast their vote. And again, voting started on time apart from Lulindo polling centre that started 30 minutes late due to some differences which have since been resolved and voting is currently underway,” he said.
Gondwe has since appealed to all political party leaders to continue observing peace, law and order if the by-elections are to be free, fair and credible with results that are acceptable to all the electoral stakeholders.
Meanwhile, voting has resumed at Baka Lutheran polling centre after the voting process was halted after prospective voters had disagreed with polling staff over Covid-19 preventive measure of putting on a face mask.
However, the acting District Commissioner David Gondwe who is the district’s elections coordinator intervened and convinced the voters on the need to comply with the measures to avoid a resurgence of the third wave of the global pandemic
Eight candidates namely; Harry Mwanyembe (Independent), Bone Mwenendeka Kasunga (UDF), Anderson Peace Mwayipinga (Independent), DPP’s Trustings Lusubilo Kamwambi, Daniel Mwanyongo Chitonya of MCP, Dr. Shawo Mwakilawo (Independent), Fwasani Silungwe (AFORD) and Felix Katwaff Kaira (Independent) are battling it out to find a replacement of James Kamwambi who succumbed to Covid-19 last month.
About 53, 000 are expected to vote in the Constituency’s 81 polling centres.
