The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) will this week start registration of voters and inspection of the voters roll ahead of the October by-elections.
According to a MEC press statement signed by Harris Potani for the commission’s chief elections officer, the registration exercise will run from August 24 to 28, 2017 in all the by-election centres.
“The Malawi Electoral Commission is informing the general public that registration of voters and inspection of the voters roll for those who already registered, will run from August 24 to 28, 2017,” reads part of the statement.
It further says registration centres will open from 8am up to 4pm everyday including weekends and will also remain operational during lunch time.
The commission has further claimed that it has mobilized enough equipment and personnel for the exercise to run smoothly.
Eligible to register are Malawians aged 18 or those will attain the age of 18 on the polling day which is October 17, 2017 and have not registered before.
For non-Malawians, apart from being of age, they should have been ordinarily resident in the country for the last seven years. Refugees and asylum seekers are not eligible to register.
MEC has since asked employers to release their employees and parents to encourage their children who are of voting age to register.
Meanwhile, the commission has called on all political parties and aspirants to collect nomination papers from the Constituency/Ward Returning Offices and district council headquarters.
MEC will receive the nomination papers on September 8, 2017 but aspirants are encouraged to take their nominations for pre-inspection on September 7, 2017 at their Constituency/Ward returning Office.
The by-elections will take place at Lilongwe Nsozi North Constituency in Lilongwe District Council, Mayani North Ward in Dedza District Council, Lilongwe City South East Constituency in Lilongwe City Council, Mtsiliza Ward in Lilongwe City Council, Ndirande Makata Ward in Blantyre City Council and Nsanje Lalanje Constituency in Nsanje District Council.
