Election observers have decried low voter turnout in local government elections, describing it as unfortunate as history keeps repeating itself.

The commentators made the comments following a low turnout of voters in Wenya Ward in Chitipa Wenya Constituency, Lupembe Ward in Karonga Central Constituency and in Shire Ward in Balaka Central East Constituency where the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) conducted the elections.

Spot-checks by The Nation crew found that there was relatively low turnout of voters in most polling stations as we found short queues.

In an interview, a presiding officer at Mwenilondo Primary School polling centre Demeria Rosha said the turnout was low despite the centre having 1 968 registered voters.

“The voting process went on peacefully. The only problem I noticed is that there was voter apathy,” he said.

In Wenya, the electorates braced the cold weather to line up as early as half past 5 to vote for their preferred candidate.

In an interview, Chitipa District Council spokesperson, who is also Chitipa District Elections Supervisory Team member Bishop Witmos, said voting in the ward’s 13 polling stations began on a high note as voters had already queued as early as 5am.

However, he said the situation changed later in the day as queues became shorter.

MEC commissioner Emmanuel Fabiano said voters’ turnout was estimated at less than 50 percent in nine of the 10 visited polling centres.

National Initiative for Civic Education Public Trust acting executive director Grey Kalindekafe said historically there is low turnout for local government polls.

In Lupembe Ward, 7 947 registered to vote while Wenya Ward had 4 836 registered in the voter’s register.

At Nkhonde Polling Centre in Balaka, which had a total of 1,023 registered voters, less than 250 voters registered as at 4:20pm.

The ward, which has about 24 849 potential voters in 18 polling centres has six candidates contesting  and they are; Elleson Shukulani Chambo (Independent), Enock Gideon (Aford), Tendai Matoga (MCP), Ishmael Gwilizani Mpinga (DPP), Dickeson Wasili (UDF) and Saidi Mpini Yasin (Umodzi Party)

It fell vacant on October 24 last year following the death of councillor Patrick Botoman.

Since Malawi adopted democratisation in 1994, local government elections have been erratic.

To date, only three rounds of local government elections have been conducted against six rounds of presidential and parliamentary elections.

The first local government elections took place in 2000.

—Additional reporting by Jordan Simeon-Phiri and Ayamba Kandodo, Contributors

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