Malawi army warns over ballot papers, tightens security
Malawi Defence Force (MDF) is giving tight security to ballot papers to be used for Tuesday in a hotly contested fresh presidential election being held almost five months after the Constitutional Court annulled the results of a disputed vote last year.
MDFs director of military operations and training, Brigadier General Blaise Saenda, briefing stakeholders on security protocols during transportation of ballot papers, urged people not to follow vehicles carrying ballot papers.
He asked motorists to maintain a distance of at least one kilometre between them and the vehicles carrying ballot papers.
“Motorists should maintain a distance of at least one kilometre between them and vehicles carrying ballot papers,” Saenda said.
He stressed that following such vehicles would mean risking one’s life.
“ Following the vehicles can lead to loss of lives if one is not careful,” Saenda said.
Tonse Alliance representative Howard Kachipanda, upon witnessing the arrival of the ballot papers, said he was satisfied with the way Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is handling the ballots.
“We have faith in the new Mec chairperson and it is our wish that this time around, all is going to be done according to plans. We will be following each and every step up to the polling day,” he said.
On his part, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance representative Clement Stambuli said the ballots are under the care of the electoral body comprising Commissioners from different political parties and was upbeat its crop will safeguard their party’s interests.
“We have faith that MEC will conduct a credible election,” Stambuli said.
A presidential candidate must now secure an absolute majority of 50 percent plus one to be declared the winner of the race. Since Malawi’s return to multiparty competition in 1994, the election had been determined by the first-past-the-post system in which the contender with most votes is declared the winner regardless of whether they receive an outright majority.
According to the electoral commission, some 6.8 million Malawians are eligible to cast ballots at more than 5,000 polling stations across the landlocked country of 17.5 million people.
Three candidates are in the running for the country’s top job but only two – President Peter Mutharika of DPP-UDF alliance and Lazarus Chakwera of Tonse Allaince [ on MCP ticket] stand a chance of winning the poll.
Peter Kuwani, of the Mbakuwani Movement for Development (MMD), is the other candidate on the voting register.
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1 KM? Koma ndiye mutipha ambili, 100 meters perhaps. Komanso perhaps you need sirens so that we know to give you space. These are afterall, public roads.
Please help me…..You are driving from Lilongwe to Mzuzu. You are at Lumbadzi, how do you know that a military vehicle carrying ballot papers is less than a kilometre away from you and that you shouldn’t come near it with these winding roads?
Okay, let’s say you overtake the MDF vehicle and it increases speed, how do you stay away from them at a more than a kilometre gap…stop and make him overtake you? How will you know he is at a distance of not less than a kilometre?
1. Pamenepa nde pofunika kugwilitsa ntchito ndege mwapangila hire campaign zija, apo ai ndege za army ngati bomali linagulapo. Otherwise misewu inamangidwa mwakatangale u can’t sanely say u nid 1km distancing.
2. Now u c the effects of nepotism bwana saenda, we can’t even trust u on this assignment, we r even more suspicious now especially with Ur sentiments that u shudnt be followed
The MDF is one of the most professional military on.the African continent if not in the world. As professionals they don’t just shoot to kill. They first assess the dander posed by what is approaching a restricted. They will give a first warning to the object/or person appraching a restricted area. The 1 kilometer is simply a demarcated restricted area and The Brigadier has simply defined it as a first warning. Whoever decides to deliberately infringe upon this restricted area must do so at his own risk. Of ccourse as professional soldiers they will assess every threat on a case to case basis. Never say later that you were not warned!! I have lots of respect for the MDF. I was there right in Blantyre when they conducted the famous “OPERATION BWEZANI” I am personally very proud of them. Let’s all support them as they protect us.
mwatasa ku MDF Nundwe atachoka. Bwenzi mukulankhula choncho inuyo. Wa MDF saopyedza citizen, he protects the citizen. This si an indication that you are a cadet. Can tell from ur langauge
Malawi Army please please do a good job for your brother’s ,sisters and your parents. Malawi is not for two families, it’s for all of us please.
Our tax money ndiye aziti wagula ndiye, shupid. Bullets and Be forward vote wisely please.
Malawians just follow what the one who holds a gun has said, who has mandate to kill without negotiations,we don’t want to lose life.The military uses military police , Citizens can see them clearly.
A bwana SAENDA musatikwiitse. is 1km distance apart practical? remember Malawi has one road and one line from Nsanje to Karonga. Palibe zophana; every voti count. A Saenda andiopsa; these guys should be followed. Tiberana apa. Ngakhale mnsilikali can be arm twisted.
you are right
1 kilometer ya chani?
Chisankho kuti chikhale chobvomelezeka sikuopseza anthu.
Tikudikira Tuesday, wina aone nyenkhwe
How neutral is saw day? This where ballot papers will be swooped. The possibility of using DPP cadets disguised as military is high. DPP can’t be trusted. This is their final formula to win
Awanso ndi a mbuzi. Tsopano anthu adzidziwa bwanji kuti kutsogolo kwathuku kukudutsa ma ballot. Iwo zawo zimakwawa pa mseu Tinjale tamakono timauluka bambo. Two minutes atseka distance ya one kilometer akuyatsa nyali ya overtake. Paja kunali reshuffle kumenekunso paja eti?
iIuyu nde ambuliwo. there is a military escort vehicle in front and behind.
Saenda wants to appear relevant. Have you leased these roads. 1 km apart. What nosense. You want to be marking the paper and want to scare people.
good luck messing around with the army. mulandile makofi za zii, mukuyendela kapepala ka vitz
What if plans for rigging are done by the DC’s or on the way to the tally centers-How will we check that…….
how can one know that is within one km. I don’t understand otherwise pple will be peneliased for an offence they don’t know. anyway its important that security should be priority well done but put up measures that are practically enforceable. any way its ur profession and u understand it better
There is no need to shoot innocent unarmed civilians going about their business because of the ballot papers. Not everyone can measure one kilometre by sight alone. What about if the road has a bend? Poor statement. Product of nepotism.
Believe in safety but silly comments to keep 1 kilometre apart. What roads do they drive on, they are all single roads. Trucks are NOT MARKED Ballots here.
Do YOUR JOB protect the truck from a threat not innocent travelers going about their business.
A distance of one kilometer? Are you high on whisky? Stupid idiot..I will chase you where I see you regularly…
The comments by the army Commander is nosense, idiotic and can’t be trusted
Go and try, we will learn from you. tail the military trucks. He he he mabwande akewo
One kilometre???
Are U on the side of DPP???
That’s nonsense and unconstitutional..Pitani Ku DRC muzikathandizila peace keeping not threatening lives in Malawi. Tatopa nazo zakupha innocent Malawians. Who are u to be changing malamulo at will???
Nzelu Zama Professor osaphunzila.
Munya ndipo muona mukapanga zomwe munachita ndi truck ya ma phone ku Lumbadzi.
More fire MDF. Ziphunzitseni mbuli zongoziwa gule aka zilombo kuti ndinu ma Rangers.