Protect voters from coronavirus—Mec
The Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) has bemoaned political parties’ failure to observe coronavirus preventative measures in the June 29 2021 by-elections.
Last month, the electoral body conducted a parliamentary by-election in Nkhata Bay Central Constituency in Nkhata Bay District, Chikwembere Ward in Blantyre District and Lalanje Ward in Nsanje District.
Mec Commissioner Olivia Liwewe said, during a post-mortem of the elections in Dowa District, that political parties’ interests transcend politics, citing political parties’ responsibility to protect their followers from infections.
“We need to protect our voters [from Covid], we need to discuss these issues because by-elections will continue happening,” Liwewe told representatives of political parties that participated in last month’s by-elections.
She further bemoaned low voter turnout.
“Let’s continue mobilising people for by-elections because some of the elections are won by very few votes, which, to a certain extent, may not be good for democracy,” she said.
People’s Party secretary general Ibrahim Matola concurred with Liwewe, adding that this was an opportune time to address challenges that have been affecting elections in the country.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.
