MALAWI’S Independent Civil Society (ICS) has raised alarm over what it calls the “persistent and ill-timed” release of opinion polls in the run-up to the September 16th tripartite elections. Speaking at a press briefing on Saturday at Mphatso Motel in Mzuzu, ICS Chairperson Caesar Kondowe said the timing of the polls could discourage some Malawians from voting. “These polls can mislead people into thinking the outcome is already decided. That is very dangerous for democracy. In the last election, we already had a huge number of non-voters, and such reports could make the situation worse,” Kondowe warned. He urged Malawians to ignore the surveys and focus on casting their ballots: “Our message is clear—do not rely on opinion poll results....