By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, December 5, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust has urged eligible citizens in Mangochi that are yet to register as voters for the 2025 general election, to come out in large numbers in order for them to exercise their right to vote come next year.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is currently conducting voter registration exercise in Mangochi, Mangochi Municipality, Lilongwe rural, Lilongwe urban, Mzimba, Mwanza, Chikwawa, as well as Nsanje councils, from November 28 to December 11.

Speaking during a football bonanza at Lungwena ground, in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Namavi, District Coordinator for NICE in Mangochi, Joseph Chamambala said that from the spot check which they conducted around registration centers across the district, men are not coming out in large numbers, as compared to women.

“Our assessment from some centers in Mangochi so far shows that men are not coming out in large numbers as compared to women, a development which is worrisome to us because the right to vote is for everyone, regardless of our gender.

“As NICE, we have stepped up awareness campaign, and we are also calling on other stakeholders to follow suit in order to ensure that we have more citizens in Mangochi who will exercise their right to vote come September, 2025,” said Chamambala.  

He however said that from the general overview, daily figures from the registration centers since November 28 are promising that Mangochi would have more registered citizens.

Speaking in a separate interview, one of the community members at Lungwena, Mustapher Rajab, said that most men are engaged in economic activities during day hours, hence the need for stakeholders to intensify civic education.

“There is need to provide more civic education in order to have an equal participation by both men and women in this electoral process,” said Rajab.