By Aliko Munde

Chitipa, October 2, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has disclosed that they have managed to sort out the problems the commission encountered during the pilot voter registration exercise, which was held in September this year.

MEC Commissioner Caroline Mfune, disclosed this on Wednesday in Chitipa District during sensitisation meetings for civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders in the district in readiness for the fresh voter registration exercise for the 2025 general elections.

Mfune said that MEC learned a lot during the pilot voter registration and it was good that they carried out the exercise.

“We encountered some problems for sure. But the good thing is that we have managed to sort out all the problems we encountered. For example, we had problems with cameras as they could not capture registrants within three to five minutes if they were dark-skinned or old.

“I want to inform Malawians especially people here in Chitipa that there will be no problem. It was right and fundamental that we had the pilot voter registration because had it been we did not carry it, those problems could manifest in the actual voter registration,” Mfune said.

She further said that the meeting targeted traditional and religious leaders to give them firsthand information so that they could disseminate the same to their subjects in communities and churches to clear any misconceptions and myths.  

Reverend Honest Mwenisung of Chitipa Evangelical Lutheran Church, applauded MEC for targeting religious leaders as major stakeholders in the forthcoming general elections.

Mwenisungo, who is also Chairperson for Pastors Fraternal in Chitipa district, said that their role as religious leaders is to sensitise their members on the importance of voter registration.

“As religious leaders, we have a big role to play in sensitising our members to register and even vote during the forthcoming general elections,” Mwenisungo said.

Senior Chief Mwabulambya said he would sensitise his subjects on the importance of voter registration and their right to vote.

The first phase of voter registration starts from 21 October to 3 November 2024, while the second phase starts from 9 to 22 November and the third phase starts from 28 November to 11 December 2024.