Law Commission proposes change of polling day in Malawi
The Malawi Law Commission is proposing change in the polling day from May to dry season.
Deputy chief commissioner Mtamandeni Liabunya said the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) finds it difficult to administer polls during the rainy season in May because vehicles delay in submitting and collecting electoral materials from remote areas due to impassable roads damaged by rains.
“We want also to do changes in the way we hold referendum, political campaigns and the behaviour of voters,” said Liabunya.
The deputy chief law commissioner says consultations on the reforms start in October, saying the changes will come effective only after parliament has approved.
MEC also want to go biometrical to minimise chances of cheating and are pushing for reforms so to abolish the first pass the post poll and replace it with the 50+1 poll.
President Peter Mutharika amassed a handful 36 per cent of the vite seconded by Lazarus Chakwera with 28 per cent of the vote and Joyce Banda 24 per cent.
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May is indeed a bad month for more roads in the rural areas become impassable for vehicles.
Biometrical or not,50+1 or not, Cheaters will always circumvent the new process and come out victorious. It has just happened in Zambia and Gabon.
Issues such as: rushing of swearing in of somebody as president and issues to do with counting process which normally undermines the credibility of our elections as was the case in 2014 plus all those hiccups that usually dog the counting stage of the elections MUST be food for thought for MLS osati izi mukunena apazi………. za ziiiiiiiiiii…………………!!
Dry season siingapangitse kuti amene amabela ma vote asabelenso!! Tippexing results and quick announcing of results siziimaona nyengo iyayi!!
The best is to have them in June so that the new Govt is to start at zero.But these pipo avomera za 50+1
The issue the Law Commission should propose should not be about change of polling date, but 50+1.
Voting in May is not an excuse for the failures by MEC. For me the key changes which I believe would make a difference are: 1. Introduce the 50%+1 rule so that we dont have a leader who is voted for by a minority. 2. Change the voting day to Friday (not Tuesday as is the case now). This is because during the polling period, most businesses come to a stop; and it becomes difficult therefore for people to concentrate and be productive at work/businesses because more time is spent discussing/analysing the election results. Voting on a Friday shall mean… Read more »
Whether you vote in may or whichever month elections will never be free and fair in Malawi land of so many excuses