Election officials call for nonpartisan staff ahead of Malawi voter drive
The electoral body aims to function as an impartial referee in the process, emphasizing the critical role of unbiased staff in ensuring fair elections.
MZUZU, Malawi— The Malawi Electoral Commission's northern regional manager has urged newly recruited election device operators to withdraw if they have political party affiliations, writes Tionge Hara.
During a media briefing in Mzuzu on Sunday, Derverson Makwete stressed the importance of maintaining neutrality in the upcoming voter registration exercise scheduled for October 21 to November 3.
"Elections are highly sensitive, so we want people that will be working for us to be committed. We don't want them to go there and display party attitudes — that won't be acceptable," Makwete said.
The commission plans to conduct training in three phases, covering different districts in the Northern Region. Officials also addressed previous technical challenges with voter photography.
"The challenge of difficulty in taking pictures has been resolved," Makwete confirmed, referring to past issues where photos of individuals with certain physical characteristics were unclear.
The electoral body aims to function as an impartial referee in the process, emphasizing the critical role of unbiased staff in ensuring fair elections.
Training will begin with operators from Chitipa, Karonga, and Mzuzu City, followed by other districts.