MEC registers 1.3 million in two phases
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says 1 306 794 voters have registered in the first two phases of the voter registration exercise for 2014 Tripartite Elections.
The second phase, which covered all constituencies in Blantyre City not covered during the first phase, all constituencies in Blantyre Rural and Chiradzulu districts and Thyolo North Constituency recorded 711 192 voters, according to MEC.
During the first phase that covered two constituencies in Blantyre (Blantyre Kabula and Blantyre City West) and whole districts of Neno, Mwanza, Chikhwawa and Nsanje registered 595 602 voters.
MEC said in a statement on Sunday said the second phase of registration progressed successfully and has registered 711 192 voters against 621 511 registered in 2010 in the same areas during the failed Local Government Elections.
“This represents a 14 percent increase,” said Willie Kalonga, MEC chief elections officer, in a statement.
According to MEC, there were 64 711 registrants in Thyolo North Constituency, 184 788 in Blantyre District, 262 724 in Blantyre City and 168 963 in Chiradzulu District.
The National Statistical Office (NSO) 2013 population estimates show that Blantyre District or Rural has 381 242 people whereas Blantyre City has 816 001, Chiradzulu 309 849 and Thyolo District 622 636.
Kalonga said all centres closed on Wednesday except six centres in Blantyre City and two in Blantyre District which extended registration to the following morning because they could not process all persons who had come for registration on the closing day.
He said: “The Commission had an intermittent supply of lamination pouches but this did not hamper registration as registrationstaff were directed to continue with registration and to advise the registrants to collect their certificates when the lamination pouches were in stock.
“The Commission was able to supply the pouches to the centres which had run out before registration closed and the registrants collected their certificates.”
The third phase of voter registration was scheduled to start yesterday (August 25) and run up to September 7.
The third phase will cover all the constituencies in Mulanje, Luchenza Municipality, Phalombe South, Phalombe East andPhalombe North East constituencies and all constituencies in Thyolo District except Thyolo North which was covered in second phase.
