By Wongani Mkandawire  

Nkhotakota, May 7, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Monday took its awareness meetings to Nkhotakota District where it challenged electoral stakeholders to be champions of driving towards peaceful, fair, and credible elections next year.

The meeting aimed at sensitizing electoral stakeholders on the new electoral laws, constituency and ward boundaries, and electoral calendar, among others.

MEC Regional Operation Commissioner for the North, Deverson Makwete, said that for the country to achieve fair and credible elections free of post-election chaos, stakeholders must be at the forefront in advocating for that.

"As a Commission, we are very happy with the patronage today and we hope that the message which they have acquired here will be used to advance MEC's aspirations to have a fair and credible election next year," Makwete said.

He further disclosed that the Commission is migrating from the previous National Registration Bureau (NRB) system to a new system called Election Management Device (EMD) which will be used in many electoral processes, including voter registration.

"This device is going to be used for different purposes. Apart from voter registration, the device will also be used for voter verification and transmission of results from polling stations to constituency, district, and main tally Centre," he said.

Nkhotakota District Council Director of Administration, Victor Chithabwa, commended MEC for organizing the meeting, saying it has enlightened stakeholders on their roles and responsibilities in pre-election, during election and post-election stages.

"We are grateful that MEC decided to have this session in Nkhotakota District, as you might be aware that elections involve several stages and stakeholders. I'm sure that these individuals will take the message to their respective areas," Chithabwa said.

In his remarks, Traditional Authority Mwansambo in Nkhotakota said that chiefs will engage their villagers to ensure that they understand everything about elections.

"I will encourage my fellow chiefs to be proactive in advocating for peaceful elections next year, starting from this year, because election is a process which begins months before the exact voting day," Mwansambo said.

The meeting drew together representatives of all political parties, religious leaders, chiefs, and Civil Society Organizations, among others.

MEC is expected to roll out the voter registration process from September to December 2024 ahead of the September 2025 general elections.