The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has received the first consignment of ballot papers, marking a key milestone in preparations for the country’s tripartite elections scheduled for September 16.
MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja confirmed that 115 pallets of parliamentary ballot papers arrived late Monday at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.
The delivery is part of a phased rollout, with presidential ballot papers expected Thursday and local government ballots due Saturday.
“All ballot papers and election materials will be dispatched to polling centres by September 15 to make sure that every station receives them before the polling date,” Mtalimanja said, adding that the commission is operating within its electoral timetable to avoid logistical delays.
The tripartite elections will see over 7.2 million registered voters elect a president, 229 members of parliament and 509 local government councillors.
The vote will be conducted under new electoral boundaries following a nationwide delimitation exercise and the presidential race will use the 50 percent-plus-one rule introduced after the 2020 court-ordered re-run.
Compared to the first-past-the-post system, the new electoral rule means that a presidential candidate must win at least 50 percent of the valid votes to be declared a winner.
Security has been tightened around the ballot consignments, with the Malawi Defence Force and Malawi Police Service providing 24-hour protection at the airport.
Political party observers have been invited to witness the arrival and warehousing of materials to promote transparency.
The upcoming elections pit incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party against former presidents Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party and Joyce Banda of the People’s Party, among 17 presidential contenders.
Key campaign issues include inflation, corruption and economic recovery following recent natural disasters and fuel shortages.
JN/APA