Chisankho Watch Coalition condemns undue coercion, inducement of citizens to register for 2025 General Elections

Chisankho Watch Coalition has expressed concern over reports of undue coercion of citizens in the voter registration process.

Chisankho Watch Coalition is a consortium of four governance-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs), namely the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Public Affairs Committee (PAC), Gender and Justice Unit (GJU) and Meeting Hub (mHub). The coalition was established to ensure credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in Malawi.

Addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Thursday, the coalition chairperson, Bishop Dr. Gilford Matonga, said they have received ‘verified’ reports from Nkhotakota district that citizens were required to provide their voter registration slips to enroll beneficiaries in social protection programs.

“Similarly, in Salima and Nichisi districts, incidents were reported where registrants exchanged their registration slips for food items, such as maize and other handouts. Chisankho Watch notes that these practices corrupt the electoral environment and constitute voter bribery, which is an offense under Section 41 of the Political Parties Act (2018),” he said.

Matonga also expressed concern over reports of misinformation regarding voter registration in the Chiradzulu Nguludi and Karonga South Constituencies, citing claims made in the social media that that taking fingerprints during the electronic voter registration process implied that individuals had already cast their votes for the 2025 general election.

He feared that this misinformation may have discouraged some potential registrants from participating in the registration process.

“This situation highlights the need for continued robust voler education,” he emphasized.

On another hand, Chisankho Watch vice chairperson, Tuntufye Simwimba, commended the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for its efforts during the first phase of the voter registration process.

Simwimba observed that the first phase was generally conducted in a relatively peaceful environment, with electronic management devices (EMDs) functioning effectively.

He expressed optimism that the positive aspects will carry over into the next phase

“However, Chisankho Watch has also identified some areas for improvement to ensure that as many eligible voters as possible have the opportunity to register. This includes implementing robust and targeted voter information campaigns to counter misinformation about the registration process, addressing incidents of coercion and inducement related to voter registration, and resolving any grievances stemming from the boundary demarcation process that might affect the overall registration efforts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chisankho Watch Coalition has recommended that MEC should establish open channels for grievance redress, enabling communities like Kasangamala to have a forum for addressing their concerns.

It has also recommended the pollster should install or ensure all registration centres have ramps to provide barrier-free access for individuals using wheelchairs or with limited mobility.

“In the subsequent stages, MEC should deploy targeted voter information campaigns to improve citizen awareness and address misinformation about voter registration. We also recommend that the National Registration Bureau should quickly establish additional registration centres to comply with the high court’s decision and ensure all eligible voters possess the necessary NRB slip required for voter registration,” he said.

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