Some political parties have said the second suspension of local government by-elections for Mwasa Ward in Mangochi puts into question the capacity of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to manage conflicts.

The parties said in separate interviews yesterday they fear for the 2025 Tripartite Election as their trust in MEC is waning.

The sentiments follow a statement from MEC on Tuesday announcing the suspension of preparations for the by-election in Mwasa Ward due to what it called “events that marred the integrity of preparatory electoral processes”.

In an interview yesterday, UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala said the matter stems from lack of strict enforcement of electoral rules and regulations.

He called for increased vigilance, stricter monitoring, and penalties for those found guilty of misconduct.

Said Njawala: “These events have inevitably raised concerns about the level of trust in MEC by the people of Mwasa and us political parties. It is imperative for the MEC to regain the trust of the electorate through transparent actions.

Mwafulirwa: We will engage
the stakeholders

“As we approach the 2025 polls, these events could strain our relationship with the MEC, as we must maintain a healthy working relationship for the sake of fair elections.”

Njawala also suggested diversifying means of identification during voter registration, relying solely on National Identity cards can be problematic, given that the National Registration Bureau (NRB) is under government control, potentially enabling manipulation.

In a separate interview, United Democratic Front spokesperson Yusuf Mwawa blamed NRB on the Mwasa by-election impasse, saying the set-up NRB is operating from is potentially a breeding ground for fraudulent activities.

“If issues highlighted are not entirely attended to, then there will be lost trust in the body, which can result in voter apathy. Such matters must be resolved, as soon as possible. Justice delayed, is an injustice prolonged,” he said.

Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said the postponement of the by-election could be a deliberate ploy by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which fears losing the ward.

He said: “Our fear is that if these challenges are not resolved and MCP is not sanctioned for committing electoral fraud resulting in suspensions, the same would be replicated in the 2025 Tripartite Elections.

On the other hand, MCP spokesperson Ezekiel Ching’oma asked for more time before commenting on the matter.

But MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa yesterday said the electoral body will establish a comprehensive strategy for engagement involving NRB, police, Judiciary, civil society organisations, leaders of political parties at both local and national levels.

Political and governance pundit Wonderful Mkhutche has called for community engagement, especially with the competing candidates and their supporters to come up with a common understanding in line with the electoral laws.

MEC first suspended the Mwasa by-elections slated for September 26 2023 following allegations that some candidates were mobilising underage children to register so as to vote for them.

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