By Macdonald Thom:
Parliament and Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) Monday started the process of destroying records for October 2017 by-elections in line with Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act.
The elections took place in Lilongwe City South East, Lilongwe Msozi North and Nsanje Lalanje constituencies, Mtsiliza, Mayani and Ndirande Makata wards.
During the opening ceremony of the exercise at Parliament Building Monday, Mec Electoral Services Committee Chairperson, Jean Mathanga, expressed gratitude to the leadership of Parliament for collaborating with the commission in fulfilling electoral laws.
Depositing electoral records is rooted in the history that the Clerk of Parliament used to be the chief elections officer before Mec secretariat was set up.
Mathanga said although there have been discussions on the issue, considering that there is a fully-fledged Mec secretariat, they would continue abiding by the legal provision.
“All records will be brought to the Clerk of Parliament as required. To that effect, let me take this opportunity to advise that the Malawi Parliament should start preparing room for safe keeping of the records for the May 21 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections,” Mathanga said.
Assistant Clerk of Parliament (Public Relations), Leonard Mangazi, said it was important to destroy the materials during the ceremony, which police officers graced.
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