Nice decries low turnout in Nkhotakota by-election

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has expressed disappointment with the low turnout in Tuesday’s by-election in Nkhotakota Liwaladzi Constituency where only 11 168 people out of the 25 663 of registered voters cast their votes. In an interview yesterday, Nice Nkhotakota district programmes officer Hellina Mwimba attributed the low turnout to heavy rains, among others. She said: “We are impressed with the process, but very disappointed with voter turnout as only 44 percent of registered voters cast their votes.

Of course the weather could have contributed as it was raining coupled with farming activities. “All candidates deployed their monitors and were placed in all polling centres. As Nice, we also deployed our observers at every polling centre to monitor the situation and it has been good.” Mwimba described the elections as free, fair, credible and peaceful since there were no any incidents of violence reported.

Nkhotakota district elections officer Nickson Chimangeni described the electoral process as smooth despite facing what he called a small network challenge. “The process is good and going on as planned, but we had a small network challenge that was rectified within short time,” he said. One voter at Majiga polling centre, 19-year-old Mayiwase Chirwa from Dwangwa in Traditional Authority Kanyenda, said she felt excited because it was her first time to vote.

[paywall]

“I feel that I can positively contribute to the nation’s development through the vote,” she said. Six candidates contested in the by-election and unofficial results showed that Democratic Progressive Party candidate Thokozire Lunji was leading.

[/paywall]