Local government polls postponed

Malawi’s Electoral Commission has postponed until the year 2000 local government polls originally scheduled to take place in September. Addressing a preparatory meeting on Wednesday, the commission chair Justice James Kalaile said the delay was due to technical problems, PANA reported. “Our technical advisors have told us that we need the whole country redemarcated as most parts of the country are not on the national map,” he said. Kalaile added that in order to conduct hitch-free polls, the commission needed enough time despite earlier arrangements that the local polls be held three months after the general elections. He also said the local polls cannot be held during the rain season, which starts in October, because many parts of the country will be inaccessible. This, Kalaile indicated, will mean the polls not being held before April 2000.