Electoral stakeholders meeting July 17  to decide voter registration fate

Resolutions by key stakeholders in electoral process at the forthcoming National Consultative Forum (NECOF) meeting slated for July 17 in Lilongwe are expected to determine the fate of the first phase of voter registration exercise.

The development comes amid concerns by some political parties and civil society organizations calling upon the county’s chief pollster to extend the first phase of voter registration which was marred by a low turnout.

Speaking after a meeting with opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President Dr Lazarus Chakwera in Blantyre, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr Jane Ansah said the commission has received various complaints regarding the exercise which was held in Kasungu, Dedza and Salima districts.

Ansah said: “As MEC chairperson I don’t make decisions alone, resolutions of the commission are made by a consensus so will take up the complaints to the commissioners and consult other key stakeholders and see on how best we can address them”.

‘’After a NECOF meeting the commission will meet to discuss on the resolutions by the stakeholders and chart on the way forward regarding the first phase of  the voter  registration,”. addedAnsah.

The MEC Chairperson said the commission will proceed with the second phase of the exercise which starts on Friday July 13 in the central region districts of Mchinji, Nkhota kota , Dowa and Ntchisi.

She said: “At the moment it’s premature to establish the cause for a low turnout during voter registration but as the exercise progresses we will be able to identify it and we are going to address it accordingly.”

The voter registration exercise in readiness for the May 2019 tripartite elections is being conducted in phases and is targeting over 9 million voters.