MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Tonse Government has provided MK2.6 billion to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) ahead of the by elections in seven constituencies and two wards on March 30, 2021.

Confirming the development on Monday, Director of Media and Communication for MEC, Sangwani Mwafulirwa, said government has honoured the institution’s budgetary target towards the said elections and so it is safe and ready to run the polls.

“We have received the funding of MK2.6 billion from the government. This is according to the budget which the Commission had submitted and we have been funded in entirety. So, there is no deficit outstanding regarding what we need to hold these by elections,” Mwafulirwa said.

These by-elections will take place in Karonga North West, Ntchisi North, Lilongwe Nsinja South and Zomba Changalume Constituencies and Livilidzi and Chitakale Wards in Balaka and Mulanje Districts respectively, due to deaths of their parliamentarians and councillors.

In Chikwawa East, Nsanje South and Nsanje North Constituencies, the polls will be rerun due to nullification of the 2019 tripartite elections by the court, following reports that elections in those constituencies were marred with widespread and systematic irregularities.

Recently, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had urged MEC to reschedule the March 30 by-elections due to Covid-19.