Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said it is fully prepared for the voter registration exercise which begins today in 14 councils across the country ahead of the September 16 2025 General Elections.
The first phase of voter registration, which runs until November 3 2024, is being conducted in Chitipa, Karonga, Karonga Town, Mzuzu City, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima, Dedza, Balaka, Machinga, Chiradzulu, Neno, Phalombe and Mulanje.
Speaking yesterday, MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the commission has put in place measures to ensure that everyone who is an eligible voter is able to register.
“My appeal to eligible voters in these 14 councils is to go and register because once we close on November 3, we will not go back to these areas,” he said.
Section 4 (12) of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Act provides that a person eligible to be registered as a voter in an election should have proof of national registration issued by the National Registration Bureau (NRB).
The proof of eligibility can be in the form of a valid national ID, an expired national ID or a system generated receipt issued by the NRB which shows the national ID number.
During the voter registration exercise, NRB officers will be placed at every centre to help those that may have challenges with their proof of national registration.
“But NRB will not conduct fresh national registration at the voter registration centres.
“Anyone who has not registered with NRB should first go to NRB offices to register and then take the proof of national registration to the voter registration centre where they will be allowed to register,” said Mwafulirwa.
Opposition parties have been crying foul over the national ID requirement as proof of eligibility for one to register for the general elections.
At a joint press briefing on Wednesday, UTM Party, Alliance for Democracy and Democratic Progressive Party called on MEC to ensure that eligible voters are not barred from registering because of lack of national ID.
The second phase of the voter registration exercise will be conducted from November 9 to 22 2024 in 14 councils while the final phase will run from November 28 to December 11 in eight councils.
