Why Are Targeted People Not Turning Up for Supplementary Voter Registration?

The ongoing supplementary voter registration by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has been plagued by low turnout, with many targeted individuals not showing up to register.

For instance, at Catholic Institute Primary School in Blantyre, only 15 out of the expected 200 people had registered by 1 PM on the first day. Similar trends were observed in Kasungu and Mchinji, though some centres like Kamwendo Model in Mchinji saw relatively better numbers.

MEC Commissioner Richard Chapweteka downplayed concerns, citing the commission’s efforts to raise awareness about the exercise. He emphasized that registration centres are open for those willing to participate in the elections.

However, some political parties, such as the Alliance for Democracy (Aford), have expressed dissatisfaction with MEC’s decision to limit registration to individuals who registered with the National Registration Bureau (NRB) between October 21 and January 4, 2024.

MEC’s supplementary registration exercise aims to comply with a High Court ruling ensuring potential voters without national IDs can register. Despite the challenges, MEC is targeting 271,854 people across 1,974 centres.

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