Chaos at registration centres

Chaos and misunderstandings between registration officers and the country’s citizens are refusing to die with prospective registrants feeling let down by the process.

People The Nation interviewed at random at some registration centres in Lilongwe called on government and the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to reorganise their approach.

Our snap survey also revealed a problem of poor coordination and proper information flow to those willing to register as people have reported to being sent back because there are no forms to fill.

Anger and frustration are the order of the day at the centres visited, including Kawale, Chilinde, Chinsapo, Chimoka, Tsabango and the Lilongwe District Council offices.

“I have been coming to the registration centre for more than three days now. I haven’t been given a form to fill, yet they say they want us to register.

“This is frustrating and not good. Imagine at 7:30am they said they had ran out of forms, what time do they want us to come to the centre? Why starting a thing they cannot handle?” said Davie Mapila, a resident of Area 3 who was trying to get the forms to fill at the Lilongwe District Council registration centre.

Ayami Migo from Chinsapo also told The Nation that it was better for government to admit failure of the project and revive it after logistical hiccups had been addressed.

He said: “This is frustrating, maybe because the forms are for free, lack of communication is not helping us, they tell us there are no forms, but will have them if we come the other day, where are they getting those forms the other day?”

In an interview, NRB spokesperson Norman Fulatira acknowledged the anger and frustration of the people, saying it was justifiable. But he said they have devised a new way to handle the situation beginning today.

He said the operation part in forms management is indeed an issue and as such they have advised the officers to stop telling people that the forms have finished but rather give them the forms and allocate a day for them to come to process their IDs.

The maximum number of photos to be taken by one booth in a day is said to be 100; hence, the officers were giving forms to reach those targets.

A registration officer at one of the centres said in an interview that during induction they were told to only issue 60 forms a day to manage the workload, but on the ground the situation is different which has forced them to give the maximum amount of the forms.

ABRIDGED Eligibility checklist

l         All registrants MUST prove their Malawian citizenship.

l         Several types of documents identified for proof of citizenship

l         Each document carries a score of between 10% and 100% depending on its reliability

l         Documents MUST have a cumulative value of 100%

l         Receipt presented in person by biological parent, who is a Malawian and registered previously by same BRK (100%)

l         Malawi National ID Card presented in person by a biological parent,  (100%)

l         Name in village register (80%)

l         Certified and signed letter from Village Head with indication of your parent and list of children (80%)

l         Malawian Diplomatic / Service Passport (70%)

l         New Birth Certificate – Post August 2015 (60%)

l         Citizenship or Naturalized Certificate (60%)

l         Certified and signed letter from Village Head (40%)

l         Voters ID (40 %)

l         Malawi Ordinary Passport (40%)

l         Driving License (30%)

l         Old Birth Certificate – Pre 2015 (30%)

l         Government Pay Slip (30)

l         Employment ID Card (10%)