Nice Trust says Malawi credible election under threat
National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has said that the absence of political party monitors at centres during Phase Three of processing transfers and issue of duplicate voter certificates to those who lost them is a threat to credible elections.
A continuous visit to most of the centers Neno district District Election Supervisory Team (DEST) only found the presence of NICE Trust monitors and only two centers had Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) monitors.
Nice Trust Neno district civic education officer Walasi Kudzala said on Monday that political party monitors provide checks during the exercise to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process.
“This exercise is very important because it gives political parties opportunity to know the changes and shortcomings in the voter registry,” said Kudzala.
Kudzala bemoaned that parties have not send their monitors to most centres.
He said deploying monitors in every electoral process can help them gain enough experience before actual voting day.
“Political parties that monitor voter registration may be required to engage in activities that are similar to those they conduct as part of their election day monitoring efforts.
“By conducting activities several months before election day, political parties can identify important monitoring strengths and weaknesses. The lessons learned from monitoring the voter registration process can serve to enhance their monitoring of voting, counting and tabulation of results,” added Kudzala.
Following the supreme ruling that those who registered for the May 2019 Tripartite Elections should be the ones to vote Malawi Electroal Commission announced the opening of all the centres in the remaining councils for phase 3 for five days to process transfers and issue duplicate voter certificates for those who lost them.
Third phase started from 15 to 19 May, 2020 in the councils of Mzuzu City, Mzimba, Ntchisi, Mchinji, Balaka, Zomba City, Zomba District and Neno.
Experience vs Novice