District commissioner for Nsanje has expressed happiness following high percentage of registered voters in the district.
During the registration exercise in Nsanje, 145,828 voters registered beating a 139 869 projection and translating into 104.05 of registrants.
Nsanje District has so far surpassed any registration record set in the past six phases.
In an interview, the DC Reinghard Chavula said proper coordination and willingness of the people to register has led to positive voter registration turnout in the district.
“I am happy for this achievement. We have done very well beyond expectation. Nsanje is eager to vote,” said Chavula.
She added: “We have reached this far because of good sensitization, coordination with field staff and the technical team at our office and prompt attention to emerging problems and offering solutions so as not to disappoint the registrants.”
In her statement delivered on Friday during a press conference held in Lilongwe, MEC chairperson Justice Dr Jane Ansah said Nsanje is the only district that has beaten projected figures.
“From the totals we have so far, Nsanje is the only district that has recorded above the 20 18 projection,” she said.
Sangwani Mwafulirwa, MEC’s director of media and public relations, has since attributed the positive turnout to various civic education and mobilization messages the organization uses to reach out to people.
“Our public mobilization messages are bearing fruits. We have been in all areas conducting meetings with traditional leaders and have also placed those messages on radios. People in the Lower Shire prove to have taken those messages more positively,” she said.
Earlier before registration, some areas had threatened not to vote. However, the DC through Traditional Authorities reasoned with the disgruntled people on the importance of voter registration.
By the 19th of September, all centres were in operation and by the fifth day of registration, half of the projected figure had registered.
According to MEC’s leader of delegation in the district King Rudi, the major problem in the district was terrain that disrupted smooth movement of vehicles.
