ANALYSTS FAULT MEC ON NEW POLL MONITORS PROCEDURES

A political expert has blamed the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for bringing in what he called new procedures for election monitors.

University of Livingstonia political scientist George Phiri says the procedure to have two monitors per party or election stakeholder was new.

He also said the recruitment of literate monitors with good numeracy and comprehension skills and from the vicinity of the centers so that they can assist in identifying eligible registrants was a new procedure.

“If the commission wants these, let them push the electoral laws otherwise these are new and strange procedures,” he said.

MEC is asking political parties and other players in the Lilongwe south constituency and Matenje ward in Kasungu for names of monitors in readness for the November 5 by elections.

Chief elections officer Sam Alufandika says the poll stakeholders, who also include aspiring candidates and civil society organizations wishing to monitor or observe should submit the names to the respective MEC district offices.

“All names of monitors and observers for the registration exercise should be submitted by 8^th October, 2019. Says Alufandika.

It is expected that there will be a three horse competition in the by-elections between the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Transformation Movement (UTM).

Alufandika says the names should be submitted using form REG014 which can be obtained from the constituency returning officer or district commissioner’s office or MEC website www.mec.org.mw.