MEC to decide parliamentary by-elections day

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it will meet to set a date for by-elections in six constituencies and two wards in the country.

Six constituencies in the country have no Members of Parliament while two wards have no councilors. Members from three wards passed on while elections in three constituencies in the southern region were nullified by High Court Judge Sylvester Kalembera on Thursday. The constituencies are Nsanje North, Chikwawa East and Nsanje Central.

The court ordered the rerun should be held within 60 days.

MEC Public Relations Officer, Sangwani Mwafulirwa, confirmed that Commissioners for the electoral body will be meeting soon to lay down procedures and set date for the by-elections.

“MEC has indeed heard the judgment from the High Court regarding the three constituencies in the southern region. You may wish to know also that we have three other constituencies whose Members of Parliament passed on and two wards.

“The commission will meet within the law to lay down procedures and set the date for the by-elections. When all is finalized, the commission will make an announcement on the same,” Mwafulirwa said.

Tough contention is expected to be among the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), United Transformation Movement (UTM) and the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in these by-elections.