Fresh presidential elections scheduled for July 2, 2020

 

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi Elections Commission (MEC) has set July 2, 2020 as the date for the fresh presidential elections which the Constitutional Court ordered to be conducted within 150 days.

The fresh elections, that was launched on Monday, March 23, 2020 at a press briefing at Crossroads Hotel in Blantyre, will be done from 06:00hrs to 18:00hrs and the results shall be determined and announced by MEC between July 3-10 (7 day’s grace period).

Announcing the news, MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah SC, said July 2 is the 149th day from February 3 judgement by the High Court sitting as a Constitutional Court.

Ansah said the results shall be published on July 11 and shall be deposited, together with all related elections documents, with the Clerk of Parliament between July 12 and 13, 2020.

The calendar of events for the fresh elections started seven days after the Constitutional Court judgement made on February 3, 2020 through the procurement and delivery of voter registration and polling materials done between 10 February to May 30.

February 10-March 20 was for the production of civic and voter education materials and on 17th February, MEC presented the Gazzette Notice of Fresh Elections.

From February 24 to date, MEC has recruited staff as well as civic and voter education advisors.

From Thursday, March 26 to 30, MEC is expected train registration staff, conduct CMD and NECOF meetings and to receive last date for submission of names of monitors for registration and inspection of voters register.

From March 30 to June 6, MEC shall conduct public outreach meetings with traditional leaders and their subjects through civic and voter education (CVE) loudhailer and to mobilise and distribute CVE materials on registration.

Voters registration is scheduled between April 4 to June 7 and MEC shall receive the presidential nomination papers between April 23-24.

The nominations shall be scrutinized and approved by MEC on April 25 and the approved names shall be published the following day (April 26).

MEC has set April 26 as the launch of the official campaign period that shall stretch for 2 months — April 26–June 1.

Vetting of ballot paper templates by party and or candidates’ representatives is scheduled for April 30.

Once more, printing of ballot papers and results sheets (including inspection of packaging) shall be done outside Malawi and are expected to be flown into the country between June 23-24.

Ansah announced that MEC is in the process of identifying a printer for ballot papers and accompanying forms and that all stakeholders shall be informed once the procurement process is concluded. 

“Political parties and contesting candidates shall be allowed to send their representatives to witness the printing process at their own cost. 

“The Commission shall put in place all strict measures to protect the integrity of the printing process and all logistics up to the polling station,” she said.

From June 8–13th is set for the production of Voters Roll and also for inspection while inspection of Voters Register is on June 18-19.

MEC encourage all registered voters to go and verify their details during this period because it provides opportunity to identify anomalies, if any, and address them while there is still time unlike noting them on the polling day. 

No transfers shall be processed during this voter inspection period since anyone wishing to transfer their centre of voting should do so during the voter registration period.

June 22 is the last date for submission of names of monitors for polling; June 25-26 is for the delivery of training materials to Constituency Nerve Centres and June 27-28 for the delivery of Ballot Papers and other sensitive materials from the airport to Constituency nerve centers via Councils.

Constituency Returning Officers (CROs), Presiding Officers, Polling Operations Officers and Assistants Presiding Officers shall be trained on June 27-30.

Results tally centres shall be set up on June 29 followed by delivery of polling materials and deployment of staff to polling stations on same day.

On the eve of the polling day, there will be opening and pre-checking of polling materials including ballots as well as training of polling clerks.

The postmortem of the elections shall be held on July 16-29 by MEC’s Electoral Services which shall finalize writing elections report between July 30 August 13.

Meanwhile, in view of the Coronavirus directives that the government has set since Friday, Ansah said MEC will undertake to ensure the safety of its staff, both at headquarters and in the field, during the implementation of the electoral process.

“There will be masks, gloves, water and hand sanitisers for use in all places and there will be strict observance of distances between individuals as well as gatherings of less than 100 people during meetings.

“I urge all electoral stakeholders, including political parties, to join hands with the Commission in observing and applying the same measures in all their undertakings as directed by the State President, His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter

“Further to the safety of staff and voters, the successful implementation of the election calendar that is being launched today will be subject to mitigation of the impact of the Coronavirus including travel embargos and shutdown of election materials production companies.