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Dowa politicians urge bureau to resolve ID mess

 

Politicians in Dowa have urged the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to resolve problems with national identity cards (IDs) ahead of the voter registration exercise starting on July 9 and finishing on July 26 in the district.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) district governor for Dowa Abraham Jalafi has expressed reservations with the arrangement by NRB that eligible voters whose IDs have problems should travel to its offices at the district headquarters for help.

Jalafi: The poor cannot afford to travel

Speaking during a sensitisation meeting on voter registration National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust organised, Jalafi said it is difficult and expensive for poor people to travel to the Boma just to sort out ID issues. He asked NRB to find a way to reach out to those in remote areas.

The governor said many people may shun voter registration because they cannot go to the Boma to have their cards rectified; hence, they will not register and this may lead to voter apathy in the district.

However, NRB Dowa district assistant registration officer Malla Zimba dismissed the governor’s fears and said some errors on the IDs, such as sex, are minor and cannot disqualify one from voting.

She acknowledged, though, that some issues like wrong photographs need rectifying before registration starts.

But Dowa West parliamentarian Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi called on NRB to rectify all ID related problems to facilitate successful elections.

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