Delayed deployment or no-show by some staff and lack of registration kits in some centres have marred the start of supplementary civil registration for national identity cards (IDs) in 14 councils nationwide.
The exercise by National Registration Bureau (NRB) is a last-ditch effort to give an opportunity to eligible voters who did not register to vote in the September 16 2025 General Elections due to lack of national ID.
Section 4 (12) of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Act prescribes the national IDs—either expired or valid—as well as proof of registration slip issued by NRB as the sole form of identification for one to register as a voter.
NRB indicated that the exercise would start on Sunday, but The Nation spot-checks yesterday established that in some centres registration officers and kits were only deployed yesterday.
The supplementary registration is being conducted in Karonga District, Karonga Town, Chitipa, Mzuzu City, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima, Dedza, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Balaka, Neno, Mulanje and Phalombe.
In an interview yesterday, Mulanje district commissioner David Gondwe said the exercise is being carried out in 55 centres across the district’s nine constituencies.
“In most of the centres, we started yesterday, but in other centres we have started today because of logistical challenges, which came about due to last minute changes,” he said.
In Chitipa, The Nation on Monday morning observed at least three vehicles carrying registration officers and equipment at the district council for deployment to other parts of the district.
However, the exercise has started at Illengo, Kameme Chimwemwe and Misuku.
In Mzuzu, about 10 people had successfully registered by noon on Monday at Katoto LEA School registration centre with a similar number waiting in line.
Rebecca Chilewani, 36, who was with her 17-year-old son Shaliful Elias Njinkho from Chibanja Township, expressed excitement about voting in the 2025 General Elections after successfully completing national ID registration yesterday.
Meanwhile, the supplementary civil registration exercise has also been affected by withdrawal of registration officers.
A registration officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confided that some NRB temporary workers have withdrawn services after being assigned to work in districts far from their bases.
“For example, I am based in Blantyre, but I was told to go to Karonga using my own transport. I tried to swap with a colleague based in Karonga and posted to Phalombe, but NRB stopped the arrangement so I decided to withdraw,” said the source.
When contacted, NRB Principal Secretary Mphatso Sambo said he would revert, but was yet to do so at press time at 8pm.
Meanwhile, stakeholders have expressed concerns over the bureau’s failure to deal with deployment hitches, saying this is affecting the electoral process.
In an interview yesterday, Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) project officer Praise Mwenegamba said NRB has not learnt from previous exercises because it also reported late at centres during the second phase of MEC voter registration while in the third phase it showed lack of preparation.
“It is unfortunate that NRB just wants to appear to be doing what the High Court demanded, but does not necessarily want to assist people to get IDs and register for the 2025 General Elections,” he said.
UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala called on the NRB to ensure that its actions reflect the seriousness of the process as it has a bearing on the general elections.
The supplementary exercise is driven by a High Court of Malawi ruling on October 25 2024, which ordered NRB to ensure that all eligible citizens without IDs are given a chance to participate in the electoral process.
MEC is scheduled to conduct supplementary voter registration in the 14 councils that were in phase one between January 30 and February 3 2025 targeting people who will register with NRB during the current supplementary civil registration.
In August this year, NRB said since 2016 it had registered 12 287 349 people aged 16 and above for national IDs against an initial target of 11.3 million.
On the other hand, MEC has registered 7 162 217 people for the September 16 2025 General Elections, with women dominating at 4 093 369, an equivalent of 57.2 percent of the provisional voters’ roll.
However, the total number of registered voters represent about 65.4 percent of the 10 957 490 people (5 146 679 men and 5 810 811 women) MEC projected to register.
Additional reporting by JOSEPH MBUGHI and LOVEMORE KHOMO, Correspondents.
