MEC urges parties to utilize complaints desk as Mulanje DC calls for patience

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has urged political parties to utilize the pollster’s complaints desk if they have grievances instead of informing journalists.

MEC chairperson Jane Ansah has if the complaints are directed to the complaints desk, the grievances are addressed immediately.

“All official complaints are written and forwarded to our complaints desk for addressing. We cannot address issues which are in newspapers but have not been officially sent to us,” said Ansah.

The complaints desk is situated at the MEC national tally centre in Comesa hall, Blantyre.

Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, said all grievances will be sorted out before the final announcement of the official results.

She said MEC has already received numerous complaints which include missing names of candidates on ballot papers.

Other complaints are some candidates campaigning after the closure of campaign window, presiding officers telling people to vote for a particular candidate.

Ansah also said there are complaints such as number of voters more than those registered, wrong symbols for candidates as well as giving and receiving handouts by MEC staff and voters.

Meanwhile, Mulanje district commissioner (DC) Charles Makanga has urged people to be patient and avoid peddling lies as the process to reconcile the votes is still underway following reports that district has counted more votes than the registered number.

Makanga said he was surprised with the reports when in actual fact the final number of votes has not yet been established.

“Let me call for patience, auditors are still reconciling votes and it is surprising where people are getting the statistics that we have more votes than the registered people,” he said.

The DC said total votes cast in Mulanje will be known later.

There were about 281 000 people who registered to vote for coucillors, members of Parliament and President in the district’s eight constituencies.

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