Chiefs in the country have been warned against receiving bribes from foreigners in order to fraudulently facilitate their registration for national identity cards (ID).
Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Cecilia Chazama has said this in reminding Malawians the significance of the IDs to this country.
The minister asked local chiefs that they should protect their people by denying money from foreigners in exchange for the IDs.
“We are asking chiefs that they shouldn’t be persuaded by money from foreigners for them to get these IDs,” she concluded.
Chazama said currently the mass registration exercise has started in six districts where reports say things are going on very well as most people are responding by going to the registration centres.
“We have started with districts which are in the borders. I am asking citizens that they should know that this is only for Malawians,” she said.
Malawi is the only sub-Saharan country whose people had been without national IDs which has been giving chances to people from neighbouring countries such as Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique to be entering in this country and be able to receive medical assistance in public hospitals without being recognised.
The phase one of the mass registration project is in progress in the districts of Kasungu, Dowa, Mchinji, Nkhotakota, Salima and Ntchisi.
