Malawi Electoral Commission sets May 4 deadline

Chairperson for the Malawi's Electoral Commission Justice Anastasia Msosa said on Wednesday that the voters roll verification exercise which has taken almost a month now is expected to finish on May 4.

 

But opposition parties expressed doubt if the electoral commission will be able to hold polls on May 19 because of the overwhelming work it has to do with the verification exercise of the voters' roll.

 

Speaking at a news conference at the electoral body's offices in the commercial city of Blantyre at the end of a consultative meeting with political parties and donors, Msosa said after May 4, the corrected voters' register will be sent out to polling centres for voters to verify their information details.

 

"The verification of the corrected voters' register will take place for four days. That is what political parties and the Electoral Commission have agreed in today's meeting," Msosa said.

 

The chairperson said possibilities of extending the date for polling would be known on May 4 at another meeting with political parties to review progress of the verification exercise and the general preparations of the elections.

 

"Extension will be discussed on May 4. We are not thinking of extension as of now," she said. But chances are high that the polling day will be extended because the verification exercise is unlikely to finish on May 4.

 

Meanwhile, the electoral body has hired 1 000 clerks for the voters roll verification exercise. The commission is yet to pay police officers who were also hired to provide security at the beginning of the exercise.

 

Chief Elections Officer David Bandawe said at the news conference "arrangements are made to pay the police officers very shortly". He failed to explain what he meant by "very shortly".

AEP