Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says relocating its headquarters to the capital city Lilongwe from Blantyre will lead to saving 30 percent on its operational costs.

MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa disclosed this in an interview yesterday.

He said the move will also ensure centrality as regards the coordination of the commission’s activities.

According to Mwafulirwa, the Ministry of Lands has since identified space within Development House which formerly housed Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority.

He said: “The move follows an earlier resolution by the commission that it should move the head office to Lilongwe for the centrality of coordination of activities.”

Mwafulirwa: The move follows an earlier resolution by the commission.

Mwafulirwa said MEC’s long-term plan is to build its own premises. But as regards the actual date of moving, he said details will be availed in due course.

On September 7 2020, MEC management led by chairperson Chifundo Kachale met Vice-President Saulos Chilima in Lilongwe where the issue of relocation was discussed.

The meeting was part of the Public Sector Reforms where Kachale told the Vice-President that the relocation is also part of reforms that MEC is undertaking.

During the reforms meeting, it was further discussed that MEC was working on legal reforms that would lead to the commission’s operational independence and financial autonomy as well as provide clarity on the appointment and removal of commissioners.

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) national coordinator Boniface Chibwana said in a telephone interview yesterday that MEC’s relocation from Blantyre to Lilongwe is long overdue.

He said the relocation of MEC to the capital city is one of the reforms that was highly recommended and wondered why it has taken long to be fulfilled.

Chibwana said: “As CCJP, we have been part and parcel of electoral reforms in this country and the relocation of MEC headquarters from Blantyre to Lilongwe is one of the administrative reforms that was highly recommended some seven years ago.

“And we are still wondering why that simple administrative electoral reform is not taking place because our anticipation was that even the 2019 Tripartite Elections would be conducted when MEC headquarters would be relocated.”

While describing the 30 percent operational cost reduction as not minimal for an institution such as MEC, Chibwana said CCJP anticipates that the forthcoming 2025 general elections would be held when the commission has moved.

He said Lilongwe is at the centre of the country and it was only right for MEC to move to the capital city, aside from the expectation of cost reduction.

On Friday, Deputy Minister of Lands Deus Gumba, Kachale, and other MEC commissioners and secretariat members had an inspection of the Development House to assess the new offices.

And writing later on his official social media pages, Gumba said other parastatals are also expected to relocate to the capital city.

This, he said, is part of the government’s initiative of consolidating State institutions in one place.

The deputy minister said: “Since assuming office, President Lazarus Chakwera, having understood the operational, administrative, and cost efficiencies from moving State and quasi-State offices to Lilongwe, has determined to continue the consolidation of government to the capital city.

“MEC is just one of other government departments and parastatals that are earmarked for similar transfers.” n

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