By Chisomo Phiri
Electoral stakeholders in Mangochi have urged the Registrar of Political Parties to take decisive action against handouts, citing their corrupting influence on voters’ choices.
The call was made during a post-evaluation meeting in Mangochi, following the Mwasa Ward by-election held on July 23, 2024.
Governor of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Davie Issa, expressed concern over individuals distributing money to voters.
“This undermines the integrity of the electoral process and compromises voters’ decisions,” said Issa.
He also criticized the National Registration Bureau’s handling of National Identity Cards(IDs).
In response, Francis Kasaila, Commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), pledged to address the stakeholders’ grievances.
He acknowledged gaps in civic education and promised to engage stakeholders more effectively in the future.
“We will work hard to bring the necessary change so that we do not encounter similar cases in the future,” he said.
The by-election saw Stewart Mwase of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) win with 1,073 votes, followed by Adam Kida of DPP with 493 votes, Assam Dickson M’bwana of United Democratic Front ( UDF) with 476 votes, Lynah Bridget Tedie of People’s Development Party (PDP) with 57 votes, and Andalason Madi of Umodzi Party ( UP) with 17 votes.
