The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has called on all aspiring candidates for the May 21 Tripartite Elections to present their nomination papers from 2nd to 3rd February, 2019 for pre-inspection.
During the pre-inspection exercise, all Parliamentary and Local Government Elections aspiring candidates will present their nomination papers to their respective Constituency Returning Officers (CROs) while presidential candidates will present their nomination papers to the MEC head office in Blantyre.
According to a statement released today by MEC Chief Elections Officer Sammy Alfandika, the aim of the exercise is to ensure that all nomination papers have been filled correctly and that if there are any anomalies and deficiencies, aspiring candidates should be advised to correct them whilst there is time.
“This will avoid the situation of discovering such anomalies and deficiencies on the nomination day and the panic caused,” says the statement.
MEC has advised candidates who will not be able to make it to the pre-inspection centre to delegate their representatives.
The commission has further told candidates to take advantage of this pre-inspection exercise to fix their preferred time for presentation of nomination papers to the CROs, if they have not yet done so.
“Candidates are advised that there is no need to mobilize supporters to escort them to the venues. There is no specific schedule drawn and candidates or their representatives are free to come at their convenient time,” says the statement.
Candidates started collecting nominations earlier this month and presentation of the nomination papers will take place from 4 to 8 February, 2019.
Parliamentary and Local Government Elections candidates will present their nomination papers to their respective CROs while Presidential Elections candidates will present their nomination papers to the Commission at the COMESA Hall in Blantyre.
