By Duncan Mlanjira
New voters have registered for the November 5, 2019 by-elections for both Lilongwe South Constituency and Matenje Ward of Kasungu North West Constituency after the successful registration and voter verification exercise held on October 10 and 11.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says in a statement that a total of 272 new voters have been identified in Lilongwe South Constituency, of which 153 are male and 119 are female, bringing the total of 32,459.
Lazarus Chakwera’s MCP protesting
Matenje Ward has 171 new voters registered of which 77 are male and 94 are female, bringing the total to 15,760.
MEC says it appreciates all stakeholders that played an important role of mobilizing people to go and register or verify their registration details.
“The Commission is reminding political parties, candidates and CSOs that the deadline for submission of names of monitors and observers is October 28, 2019.
“Independent candidates and contesting political parties will be allowed to place a maximum of two monitors per stream,” MEC says in the statement signed by Chief Elections Officer, Sam Alfandika.
MEC chairperson Jane Ansah
The by-elections are taking place in Lilongwe South Constituency because they were postponed following the death of UTM Party candidate Agnes Penemulungu, who died prior to the May 21 tripartite polls.
There are five candidates contesting — Frank Mazizi from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Peter Dimba from MCP, Samson Phinifolo from UTM Party, Patson Mthyoka as Independent and Julius Gracian Chongwe for Mbakuwaku Movement for Democracy (MMD).
However, MCP announced that it will participate in the by-elections under serious protest, citing that it lost trust of MEC.
Mkaka, MCP’s Secretary General
“Under the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, every Malawian has right to representation at the Council and National Assembly,” says last week’s statement signed by MCP’s Secretary General, Eisenhower Mkaka.
“As a Party we resepect, promote and protect these rights. The constitution and attendant Acts of Parliament pt the Electoral Commission under certain obligations to ensure that this right to representation is respected, protected and promoted
“It is these obligations that have ensured that the Commission conduct by-elections in Lilongwe South Constituncy and Matanje Ward in Kasungu.
“As you may be aware, the Party’s torchbearer in the 21st May 2019 Presidential Elections is court challenging the results that the Commision announced on 27th May, 2019.
“Owing to the manner in which the Commission ultimately managed the results, the Commission has lost public trust.
“Under normal circumstances, the Commission should have waited for conclusion of the Court Case before they conducted these by-elections.
“With the foregoing, the Malawi Congress Party would wish to make it very clear that the Party is participating in these by-elections under serious protest.
“Our participation is just to ensure that the political rights of the people in these two areas are respected, protected and promoted,” said the statement.