A political scientist Dr Augustine Magolowondo has cautioned parties against deploying unprepared monitors in the September 16 general elections, describing them as “dangerous”.
The warning came during a two-day training for party monitors in Blantyre, attended by representatives of participating parties as led by the Institute of Policy Interaction.
Magolowondo also emphasized the importance of prioritizing monitors’ welfare, noting that “a hungry monitor is dangerous”.
” From previous elections, that is why we are advising political parties and independent candidates to deploy well-trained polling monitors for the upcoming general elections, ” he said.
IPI Executive Director, Professor Nandini Patel, stressed that monitors play a crucial role in safeguarding electoral integrity.
Patel, noted that untrained monitors often fail to serve their parties effectively.
Trained party monitors have now been challenged to be able to handle complaints, manage polling centers, and perform other essential election tasks.
The continued trainings will involve over 300 party monitors nationwide.
