Phase four of registration ends
The fourth phase of the voter registration exercise ended yesterday with a mixed turnout as some centres were registering a low turnout while others registered a high turnout.
The phase covered Blantyre, Mwanza, Chikwawa and Ntcheu districts.
A snap survey The Nation conducted yesterday in some centres within Blantyre found many people registering, most of whom had no national identity cards.
One of the registrants from Blantyre’s Chirimba Township, Martin Nyoni, said: “I decided to register on the final day as I thought there would be few people.”
Another registrant from Chileka, Iness Thombozi, said despite having her national identity already, she wanted to wait until the last day.
However, in Mwanza, the turnout in most of the centres was low compared to the past days of the exercise where it was characterised by a good turnout.
For example, as of 1pm yesterday, Malowa had registered only four eligible voters while Mphande had seven.
The case was different with Chikwawa where the turnout was moderate just like in Ntcheu.
In an interview, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the fourth phase has been a success as there have been no challenges.
He said: “The phase has been wonderful with an observable good turnout of people at registration centres. We will know the actual figures once all data has been brought together but from what we observed during voter registration monitoring, we are satisfied and that is why we are closing the phase and moving on to the next phase.”
The first phase of the exercise was characterised by a low turnout which prompted the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to call for its suspension.
Additional reporting by Agness Njalawa and Elija Phompho, MEC stringers
