OPINION | No Need to Panic Over the 14,000 Voter Duplicates
There’s a lot of noise circulating on social media over the alleged 14,000 duplicate entries in the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)’s voters roll. But let me be clear: this is a false alarm that’s causing unnecessary panic among registered voters.
In any well-designed voter registration system like MEC’s, it would be reckless to allow real-time synchronization between field registration gadgets and the central server without rigorous security and verification protocols. What actually happens is this: field devices collect data, and upon synchronization with the central server, the system runs integrity checks—including scripts that flag duplicates based on biometric or demographic matches.
That the system has flagged 14,000 duplicates should be seen as a positive outcome. It means the system is doing its job. The next logical step is de-duplication—also known as register cleanup. This is standard practice in all data systems, not just voter rolls. Field registration gadgets don’t communicate with each other in real time, meaning a person can technically register more than once if monitoring lapses. But once synchronization occurs, the system cross-checks for and flags these attempts.
In financial accounting, data is entered and only validated after reconciliation. Similarly, voter data is processed and verified during consolidation. Duplicates are then reviewed and removed based on investigative findings. This is exactly how MEC’s system functions.
A valid question would be: What if these duplicates weren’t removed? Could someone vote twice? The answer is no. All voters are physically identified and marked with ink at polling stations, in full view of monitors, party agents, and observers. Anyone attempting to vote more than once would be caught—unless everyone at the polling station was asleep on the job.
So let’s stop fueling baseless fears. Unfortunately, some media houses and even some well-informed professionals are amplifying this misinformation, knowingly or otherwise. That’s irresponsible.
Let’s show patriotism by refraining from commenting on technical matters we don’t fully understand. I don’t know what official statement MEC has made, but I felt compelled to offer a professional perspective. Call me partisan if you want—I don’t care. What I do know is that I understand the electoral management system in Malawi.
Let me repeat: rigging cannot happen outside the polling station without being detected. If you’re worried about election integrity, focus on deploying competent, well-trained monitors to polling and tally centres. That’s where elections are secured or compromised—not on Facebook or WhatsApp.
Free advice, all the way from Beijing. Now go enjoy your campaigns.
