Alfandika said the DESTs are critical to ensuring that the choice of the voters is reflected in the results of the election.

The MEC Chief Executive Officer made the remarks Saturday in Dowa district when his office briefed the DEST members on polling procedures, election results management and the overview of the rulings by the high court and Supreme Court.

But Alfandika also informed that some District commissioners have excused themselves from participating in the management of the election due to situations of conflict of interest, citing the example of a DC whose wife is a member of parliament.

“The DC for Dowa, for example, whose spouse is a member of parliament. He could easily be perceived as being aligned to a political party his spouse belongs to,” observed Alfandika.

Meanwhile The Malawi Electoral Commission says it has identified a security printer in the United Araba Emirates for the printing of ballot papers for the fresh presidential election.

The printer, Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company in Dubai is the same firm which produced all ballots for the May, 2019 tripartite elections.

“The security printer for the ballot papers has been identified after getting a no-objection from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority, PPDA,” says Alfandika.

However, Alfandika says, the printing of the ballot papers “has been put on hold until parliament”, which is meeting in Lilongwe, sets a definite date for the election.