Election Administrators Urged to be Professional

As the fresh presidential poll draws closer, election administrators have been urged to be professional to achieve fair and credible elections.This was said on Saturday at Chiradzulu Secondary school where Presiding Officers and Polling Stations Operations Officers were trained on the polling process.Master Trainer, Ishmael Mtalika, said it is very crucial for the trainees to perform their tasks with high integrity in the forthcoming poll, to deliver results that will be accepted by all.Mtalika noted that unlike in the previous election where massive irregularities were highlighted by the courts, it is very important that this time around, MEC staff should work diligently to avoid such mistakes."These trainees are the face of the Commission, therefore they have to strive to achieve a fair and credible election that is expected by many," he said, adding tendencies of mixing business with pleasure will not be tolerated.He further urged them to refrain from using Tippex and misleading voters on their choice of candidate. On this note, he advised them to consult authorities if they have any queries.On the other hand, Mtalika appealed to party monitors to take part in the whole voting and counting process, to achieve transparency and accountability.One of the Presiding Officers, Alick Kabichi, said the training is an eye-opener as it will assist them to perform professionally during the voting and counting process.Kabichi noted that the past irregularities cannot afford to be repeated, hence the need for the trainees to perform diligently."This election is very crucial in the sense that it attracts the interest of many the world over. So it is my sincere hope that all of us here, will coordinate with other stakeholders to the best of our abilities to achieve an accurate poll," he said.The six-day training which ends on Thursday has targeted 186 Presiding Officers and 85 Polling Stations Operations Officers in Chiradzulu.