By Edwin Mauluka

Dispatch of ballot papers to local centres for the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections to be held on Tuesday, September 16 has begun.

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commenced the exercise on Tuesday, September 9 with help of the Malawi Defense Force (MDF). The exercise is expected to conclude on Thursday, September 11.

MEC Chairperson Justice Anabel Mtalimanja said the commission has started sending the ballot papers to the 60 furthest constituencies of Chitipa, Karonga, Nkhata Bay, Likoma, Mzuzu, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe, Mulanje and Thyolo.

“Ballots for Likoma Island will be at Nkhata Bay district council under full security of the Malawi Defense Force who will later on transport the materials using their boat to Likoma,” said Mtalimanja.

She indicated that once they arrive in constituencies, “the ballot papers will be kept at a constituency tally centre of each constituency and not at the district council,” adding that the ballots will only be moved to polling stations on Friday, September 12.

The distribution of the ballot papers to various parts of the country, from a warehouse at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), comes amid fuel crisis in the country.

However, Mtalimanja has assured the public that the commission has secured fuel and security for all vehicles earmarked for the exercise, adding that all the vehicles are in good working order.

Various political parties and representatives of independent presidential candidates including security agencies are at KIA to witness the exercise. The final batch of ballot papers arrived at KIA on Sunday from Dubai where they were printed.

On September 16, Malawians are expected to choose president, members of parliament and ward councillors. The electoral body confirmed 17 presidential candidates having met all the requirements for valid nomination against a total of 20 aspirants who submitted their papers for the presidency.