MEC snubs registration extension calls

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said it is pleased with the voter registration exercise and cannot give in to stakeholders’ demands to extend the exercise.

Various stakeholders, including political parties and the National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust, have called on MEC to reopen centres that were closed and extend registration in centres where the exercise is in progress, arguing a number of people are being left out due to MEC’s poor planning.

Nice, a major electoral stakeholder, was among the first civil society organisations (CSOs), to call for the registration extension.

Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga, where registration is in progress, has also called on MEC to extend the registering period.

“By not extending registration, MEC will be violating people’s rights to vote and put leaders of their choice in power,” said Kyungu.

But MEC chief elections officer Willie Kalonga on Monday said there is no need to reopen centres or extend the registration exercise.

He said MEC overcomes challenges being faced in the exercise.

“We admit the challenges, but they occur only during the first two days of the exercise and we are able to sort them out. Challenges are mainly on the part of clerks because they are new, but with time they get used and we are also able to deploy more clerks in centres where people are coming in large numbers,” he said.

Kalonga, however, commended CSOs, political parties, religious and traditional leaders for supporting the registration exercise.

He called on stakeholders to continue mobilising the people to register and encourage them to vote.