Malawi pollster awaits Commonwealth expert on constituency demarcation exercise

Pollster, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it is waiting for a consultant from Commonwealth for a comprehensive population and physical features survey of wards and constituencies which will lead to some of them be cut, a politically sensitive issue in the southern African nation.

MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said recently that the consultant has always been assigned to Malawi for the exercise.

Mwafulirwa said as soon as the expert is in the country, he together with MEC officials accompanied by other officials from National Statistics Organisation and the Survey office will go to each ward and constituency to see whether they are eligible for demarcation or not.

He said some constituencies are bigger than the recommended political size.

It is expected the exercise will cost K300 million.

The move comes at a time when there are calls from other sections of the society to reduce the number of constituencies saying 193 is too big for a small and poor country like Malawi.

Government and political parties have remained mum on the issue.