Embassy to probe reports of Zambians registering
The Zambian High Commission says it will investigate recent reports that some Zambians were registering to vote in 2014 in the border district of Mchinji.
The law does not allow non-Malawian citizens to vote in elections unless they live in the country for seven years. But this provision does not apply to refugees.
A statement issued by the commission’s press secretary Chansa Kabwela said the embassy will work with the authorities in Zambia and Malawi to investigate the issue.
“However, it is very difficult for one to prove to be Zambian in the absence of a National Registration Card (NRC), a requirement for all Zambians once they attain the age of 16,” reads the statement.
Zambian High Commissioner Charles Banda said the matter will be investigated with urgency.
“We hope these people who were reportedly turned away had NRCs or passports because that is the only proof one should have of being Zambian. Otherwise, we will look into the matter with the urgency it disserves,” said Banda.
In a related development, the Nkukula Magistrate’s Court in Lumbadzi, Lilongwe, has sentenced a Burundian refugee, Bikorimana Enesite, to a 15-month jail term and a K140 000 fine for registering to vote in the 2014 elections.
According to Kanengo Police spokesperson Esther Mkwanda, magistrate Chidima Phiri meted out the tough punishment to deter would-be offenders.
“The magistrate said the suspect knew he was registering illegally and thus changed his name to Jeremiah Mpiri.
“The Malawian who posed as his witness during the registration has also been found guilty and is yet to receive his sentence,” said Mkwanda.
Rachel Kachali the author of this article please put the facts straight and avoid cheap propaganda and fabrication. The Zambians were registering in Mlonyeni Area in Mchinji simply to acquire the voter registration card only and not with intention to vote in 2014. The aim behind is that they want to use our voter registration card as the identity cards so that they should not have problems when entering Malawi especially Lilongwe since they have problems with those corrupt Police men at Namitete bridge road block. This is a no man area where there is high intermarriages among the peoples of Malawi, Zambia and even Mozambique. And people in this area speak the same language, use the same currency (they can use either Malawian Kwacha or Zambian Kwacha) and they visit each other most often either in times of weddings, funerals, and any other occasion and above all their paramount Chiefs (Kings) of the people of these three countries i.e. Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique are all based in Zambia like His Royal Majesty Ngwenyama Inkosi ya Makosi Mpezeni 4 for the Ngoni people and His Royal Majesty Gogo Chalo Kalonga Gawa Undi 4 King of Kings of the Chewa people of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique. The point is unless Malawi has the National ID Cards given to all its citizens then this problem will be solved. For your info there are also so Many Malawians in Mchinji who have the Zambian National ID Registration Card which they use once they enter Zambia especially when they have gone to sell their farm produce in Chipata or Lusaka. Because you can not have a space in the Market to sell your products if you don’t have the Reg of Zambia. so for the sake of security these Mchinji Malawians also acquire the Zambian Reg Card. So for the same purpose, thus why Zambians were coming to Mchinji to register as Malawians not necessarily they want to vote in 2014 but simply to acquire our voter registration card so that they should have easy access to Malawi including hospital services, market services and many more good things we offer for free in Malawi.