In readiness for the 23rd July by elections in Chilaweni and Mwansa wards, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has received a total number of 15,000 printed ballot papers and other polling materials including polling record book, results forms, tactile ballot templates for voters with visual impairment.
Chilaweni ward in Blantyre has 11,000 while Mwasa ward in Mangochi has 4,000 ballot papers which were printed by Al-Ghurair Printing and Publishing of United Arab Emirates.
Upon arrival at the Kamuzu International Airport, the ballot papers were put in one van which was sealed with party and candidate representatives noting down or taking pictures of the seal numbers before they left for the warehouse at Njewa.
According to the MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, the van will remain sealed in the warehouse until on 19th July 2024 at 9.00am when it will be opened with the presence of party and candidates’ agents to verify the seal numbers before opening.
She described the ballots as an important piece in the polling process which has also boosted its level of preparedness for the elections.
Mtalimanja acknowledged there were issues which needed to be resolved with the Mwansa ward such as conducting the pre-polling processes, voter registration, inspection of the voter register to make sure it’s clean and make provisions for campaign.
“Now we are ready to proceed as you have seen it has been a peaceful campaign period; there have been no incidents we’ve conducted the registration all processes are not served.
“First of all is to commend the political parties for conducting peaceful campaigns and we’re trusting that that is going to continue be the case until the 21st until we close campaign at 6am.”
Kondwani Kamaliza Leadership with compassionate party (LWCP) Governor indicated that they are so far happy with the way the electoral processes are going.
“We are encouraging our candidates that while campaign is underway, we should work hard so that we can have chance to have our own candidates winning”
On 21 July, 2024, there will be distribution of polling materials together with the ballot papers to the polling stations.
On 22 July, 2024 there will be pre-inspection of the polling materials received at every polling station and during these processes, party and candidate representatives and observers from civil society organisations are invited to witness the exercise at the polling station where they have been accredited to be stationed at on the polling day.
The MEC Chairperson appealed to political parties, candidates and their followers to maintain peace and calm as they’re conducting campaign activities.
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