Mozambicans registering for Malawi elections: 5 arrested in Dedza
Police in Dedza on Tuesday foiled attempts by five women from Mozambique to register for the forthcoming tripartite polls and arrested them.
Two other Mozambicans arrested separately on Monday for a similar offence were fined K15, 000 each or in default serve jail terms of 15 months by the First Grade Magistrate Court in the district.
Police publicist for Dedza, Sergeant Edward Kabango, confirmed both incidents.
Kabango said the Mozambicans attempted to register at different cenres in Dedza South constituency which lies on the Malawi-Mozambique border.
“We arrested them following tips from registration clerks who got suspicious when they failed to articulate details about the areas in Dedza they claimed to be from,” Kabango said.
He named the five women as Ethel Gatriano, 19, Florence Dolo, 33, Malitano Moses, 20, Benadetta Malizeni, 21, Malitano Moses, 24; and the two convicts as Bernard Thomas, 33 and Edward Ntengenibwino, 20; from different villages in the area of Traditional Authority Khwathari in Mozambique.
“They said they wanted to obtain a voter certificate to use as identity for accessing drugs in Malawi’s health facilities,” said Kabango citing a caution statement the women entered at the police.
Mozambicans living close to Malawi reportedly cross the border into Malawi to access public services such as health and education which are free unlike in their home country.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is in its fifth phase of voter registration covering Mangochi, Ntcheu and three constituencies in Dedza.
