Malawi’s electoral body printing ballots in Dubai

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has confirmed in the  statement that they have identified a security printer in United Arab Emirates to be used in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

Nyasa Times reported  recently that  that one governing party official was engaging a Dubai-based firm to print the presidential ballot papers.

MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said  in a  media statement that  the ballot papers are  being printed at Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC which is located at

Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC Masafi Compound, (Behind Fairmont Hotel – Shaikh Zayed Road) 2nd December Street, Satwa, PO Box 5613, Dubai United Arab Emirates

“The ballot paper printing exercise is expected run from 1st to 30 April, 2019,” reads the sgtatement.

According to Mwafulirwa, MEC  is advising all political parties and candidates that wish to monitor the printing process to get accreditation from the Chief Elections Officer “so that they can begranted access into the printing premises.”

There has been a trend of printing ballot papers outside the continent at huge costs.

Critics argue that the large sums of money used in the printing of the ballot papers does not translate to free, fair and credible elections. There are always complains that elections are rigged and after four or five years, a repeat process takes place with more money spent on sustaining a democracy that doesn’t reflect in the lives of the citizens.

Critics say the need to involve local printers in the process of printing ballot papers is not necessarily a panacea to solving electoral problems.

They argue that in a continent where the current mantra is “African problems, African solutions,” the continuous printing of ballot papers outside the continent not only supports the economy of countries abroad, but it mocks Africans.

Meanwhile, the  Commission has announced that it will on Friday take the launch of official campaign period to Mzuzu.

MEC Chief Elections Officer Sam Alfandika  said the launch will be held at Katoto Secondary School from 8am to noon and will be held under the theme ‘Consolidating Malawi’s Democracy throught he ballot.’

In a statement, Alfandika said: “During the launch, the commission will brief delegates on the state of preparedness for the elections.

The Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) is also expected to make presentations at the launch on regulation of handouts.