The Commission Ready to Conduct By-Elections

The Commission is ready to conduct the Chilanga Parliamentary and the six (6) wards by-elections. All Security and non-security election materials had been delivered to the various districts by Saturday, 2nd June, 2018. The by-elections are scheduled to take place on 5th June 2018.

Elections Manager, Mr. Wina Mwanamoonga told the Weekly that all logistics were in place in all the districts, where by-elections were to be conducted.

Meanwhile, training of Poll Staff started on Friday, 1st June and was concluded on Saturday 2nd June, 2018. On Friday, the poll staff underwent the theoretical part of the training while on Saturday, they were subjected to a practical exercise, which involved Case Studies.

In Chilanga, District Electoral Officer Mrs. Mumbi Mubanga Chocho officially opened the training for Poll Staff, which was conducted at Parklands Secondary School. She urged all poll staff to be professional in their conduct.

In Sinda District, the training for the Poll Staff was conducted at Tiritonse Primary School, in preparation for the Chilongozi ward by-election to take place on 5th June 2018, while in Nyimba District, the training for the Poll Staff was conducted at the Nyimba Council Chamber. The Commission also conducted training for Poll Staff at Mununga Primary School in Mununga Ward of Chienge District ahead of the by-elections.

And Mr. Mwanamoonga told the Weekly that deployment of poll staff was scheduled to start Sunday 3rd June for hard-to-reach polling stations while most of the staff would be deployed on Monday 4th June, 2018.

Meanwhile three (3) Members of the Commission were expected to monitor the elections in Chilanga. According to the programme issued by Public Relations Department, three Commissioners were expected to monitor all the poll day activities in Chilanga Constituency.

Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Annette Nhekairo, Commissioner Justice Christopher Mushabati and Commissioner Ali Simwinga are scheduled to be in Chilanga on poll day to witness the opening of some polling stations, the voting, the counting and totalling of the votes.

The Commission has also set up an election support centre aimed at providing first-hand information and will be used for planning and responding to emerging issues as the elections will be taking place. The centre will start operations on Monday 4th June and will close on Wednesday 6th June, 2018.