Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has proposed the creation of 228 constituencies across the country, following the review of boundaries for the current 193 constituencies.
This according to a report on the determination of the number of constituencies for the purposes of review of boundaries for the 2025 general elections.
In coming up with the constituencies, MEC initially used a mathematical formula which considered the population of voters eligible to register to vote and the land size of each council and then made a final determination on the number of constituencies per council through a deliberative process which considered the geographical features; ease of Communication; and administrative authorities.
Following the exercise, Chitipa has five constituencies, Karonga has five, Karonga Town has one, Nkhata Bay council has six, Rumphi has four, Mzuzu City has three constituencies and Likoma has one.
Mzimba council now has 12 constituencies: 11 constituencies determined by consideration of population of voters eligible to register to vote and land size and one created on account of ensuring ease of communication in the council.
In the central region, Kasungu has ten constituencies, Kasungu Municipality has one, Nkhotakota council has five, Ntchisi also has five, Dowa has ten, Salima has six, Mchinji has seven, Dedza has ten while Ntcheu has eight.
Lilongwe council has one constituency based on account of ensuring ease of communication in the council and 18 (eighteen) other constituencies determined by consideration of population of voters eligible to register to vote and land size, while Lilongwe City has a total of 12 constituencies.
In the Southern Region, Mangochi Council has 12 constituencies, Mangochi Town has one, Balaka five, Machinga has eight while Zomba Rural nine and Zomba City has two.
Chiradzulu council has five constituencies, Blantyre Rural has 6, Blantyre City has 10, Mwanza has two, Neno has three, Thyolo has eight, Luchenza Municipality has one, Phalombe has five, Mulanje has nine, Chikwawa has seven and Nsanje has five.
There are 98 proposed constituencies in the Southern Region, 93 in the Central Region and 37 in the Northern Region. This total of 228 is dependent on the confirmation of gazetting of Karonga Town otherwise the total will be 227.
“In view of the determination of the constituencies the original boundaries have been abolished and will be redrawn to reflect the new constituencies,” MEC has said in its report.
On names of the constituencies, stakeholders in the constituency will be allowed make proposals for names or change of names of constituencies or wards and then submit written proposals to the Commission. The Commission will review the submissions to ensure that stakeholders have agreed and that the proposed name is appropriate for the purpose.
“A name will be considered inappropriate if it is offensive to any individual, ethnic grouping, or religious sector, restrictive in its intended purpose or if it may be considered as a source of conflict with any sector of the Society,” reads part of the report.
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