By Zenak Matekenya

Dedza, October 24, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja has expressed satisfaction with the 2025 General Election voter registration turnout in Dedza district.

She made the remarks Wednesday, a day after National Initiative for Civic Education and the Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice called for more voter registration awareness in the district after being concerned with low turnout.

“We have generally good turnout. In some centres, the numbers are very huge. We have had to deploy extra operators just to ensure that people are not queuing for too long,” she said after touring several centres in the district.

Justice Mtalimanja said MEC is confident that at the end of 14 days, Dedza district and all the phase one districts will have good registration.

The MEC Chairperson said though there were a few challenges with the deployment of materials, all centres were able to open by 8 o'clock in the morning.

She added that a contingent plan to ensure the availability of fuel for running generators also contributed to the effective implementation of the exercise.

Mtalimanja then downplayed claims that some people were sent back due to identification failure but pointed out that the challenge with QR code scanning on Monday was resolved by National Registration Bureau (NRB) technicians and everyone was able to register.

“No person has been sent back because of the challenge with an ID number. So far we have had no challenge that has affected the exercise,” she said.

She added that the new equipment is able to capture people faster and able to record bio-metrics which is critical for the credibility of the voter register.

NRB Principal Secretary, Mphasto Sambo said the bureau’s role in the registration process has started successfully.

He said the bureau has deployed at least an officer to each and every voter registration centre and has a pool of standby staff.

Sambo added that NRB’s role as stipulated by the law is to provide proof of identification right at the centre as the law requires only those with National Identity from NRB as eligible to register and vote in the general election.

“Anyone who registered with NRB is in our database. When someone has an issue they go to the NRB desk to report the matter.

“Such issues could be a broken ID or an ID which is not working with MEC equipment or maybe lost ID and many other things concerning the ID,” he said.

There are 266 registration centres in Dedza where registration for the 2025 General Election started on Monday, October 21, 2024, and is expected to close on November 3, 2024.