DPP’s secret ballot during primaries is credible system – Nest
National Elections Systems Trust (Nest) executive director Unandi Banda welcomed the use of secret ballot for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) during its forthcoming primary elections so that voters should vote with their conscience.
DPP regional governor for the south Charles Mchacha said the system would also help curb political violence which erupts after primary elections.
“The DPP is the most democratic party in the country, this is why we want to adopt this new system so that party voters are not forced to vote for a person they do not want,” he said.
In 2014 and during by-elections, the party used the open vote system where voters stand behind their preferred candidate, a system also used by the main opposition, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Mchacha said the open vote system instils fears among voters, saying most of the times people who are not preferred in the area are voted to represent the party during national elections.
“If a candidate who is not preferred is voted during the primary elections, that candidate would lose during the national elections,” he said.
Nest said this would ensure free, fair and credible primary elections for the party.
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Secret ballot is open for manipulation and can of lies. Unless if its in other countries not Malawi. Believe you me this is worse than the open system where a looser is directly exposed. Secret box system is a worst nightmare especially to evil parties like dpp that had been all along imposing people on different positions in its party. This is possible in europe not with dpp? My foot! Let them do it and it will give other parties an added advantage since we already dont want this evil cunning and clueless dpp.
This is good on the side of voters: they can vote for the candidate of their choice without fear of who’s observing. However as far as DPP history in imposing leaders on people is concerned, I believe this system is very easy to be manipulated by elections officers since voters will then have no basis of argument. Believe me, with secret ballot, Nchacha can’t lose though we all know that he’s highest potential of losing in primaries.
No system is water tight…In fact secret ballot results can easily be manipulated by those presiding over the primaries
Yes, that’s true, but the system is also prone to abuse, don’t you think so?
Though not a DPP fan but i think this is a very good development and if all parties can emulate this, it will do them good.
Yea thats the way to go. If implemented obviously chances will be high that the one who wins the primaries might carry the day come the 2019 elections as long as he/she campaign effectively to win the hearts of the electorates. Bravo DPP
DPP is truly democratic. Osati zinazi za ngodya zinai.
Why are we sticking to the old archaic and primitive way of people filing behind the leader? Many voters do so for fear of reprisals. Unandi is right.
Democratic my foot. If they were democratic they should have allowed saulos to compete for the dpp presidency at the convention and it should have been a secret ballot too and there would have been no utm. The day they will allow secret ballot for all positions at the convention including the presidency maybe they will have made a few steps to being democratic. They also need to 1. Allow others hold rallies or demonstrations in their perceived strongholds without holding counter demos 2. They should stop petrol bombing opposition and csos 3. They should tolerate dissent within the party… Read more »
DPP sets the [pace, others follow.
Have they set the pace or were standing on the fence to observe others? The issue is not the system, the issue is people. Why it that in other places where people lining up behind a leader things went on well, where some where there was violence. Put blame on people not systems because a system does not rig itself.