Before dawn, they queued for democracy

At 4am, while most people were still asleep, 78-year-old Grace Namate was already making her way to Mbanila Polling Centre in Machinga Mikoko Constituency, determined to be among the first to cast her ballot despite the biting June cold. For Namate, voting was about more than politics. It was an opportunity to elect a representative who could champion development after the constituency spent months without a member of Parliament following the death of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Jaffalie Mussa on February 27 2026.

“I came here as early as 4am so that I could be among the first people to vote for a parliamentarian who will represent us in Parliament and bring development,” she says. Namate says women in her village still walk long distances to Mbanila Health Centre to fetch water while paying K500 every month. “This is a burden to us women.

Our area lacks potable water, and we also need good roads and bridges. We need a leader who will help bring these developments,” she says. Nearby, 76-year-old Injesi Chikapa waited patiently in another queue, hoping the election would bring change for farmers struggling to escape poverty.

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“We need better roads, bridges and electricity. We fail to reach markets to sell our rice, vegetables, maize and tomatoes because of poor roads,” he says. He says poor road infrastructure limits access to markets in Liwonde and neighbouring Mozambique, leaving farmers at the mercy of middlemen who buy produce at low prices.

“We also need electricity to help our youth venture into businesses that depend on power,” he adds. Namate and Chikapa were among thousands of voters who braved the cold and thick fog to vote, forming long queues before polling stations officially opened at 6am. Machinga Mikoko eventually recorded the highest voter turnout among the June 30 by-elections, with 15 922 of the 30 524 registered voters casting ballots, representing 52.16 percent.

In Kanjuli Ward in Machinga Central East Constituency, voters also turned out to elect a councillor following the death of Democratic Progressive Party councillor Simplex Diwa on March 29 2026. The ward recorded a turnout of 37.55 percent, higher than Uliwa Ward in Karonga South Constituency, which registered 25.75 percent. The strong turnout in Machinga Mikoko impressed National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust executive director Gray Kalindekafe, who described it as a positive sign that citizens still value democratic participation. “As Nice, we are excited with the turnout we are seeing in Machinga Mikoko Constituency because, generally, by-elections have been characterised by low participation, but here we are seeing a very encouraging response,” he says.

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