Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it is optimistic that it will register a lot of people in Karonga in phase 7 of the voter registration exercise that commenced on Monday in the district.
According to MEC, they expect to register over 180,000 eligible voters in Karonga, up from 160,000 registered voters in 2014.
Speaking in an interview following a stakeholders meeting to launch the voter registration exercise in Karonga, MEC Commissioner Dr Moffat Banda said the electoral body expects Karonga to come out on top with the most registered voters in phase 7 of the registration exercise.
“In the short time we have been in the district this week, we have observed that the anticipation for the exercise is high among the locals and if the large number of crowds patronizing our sensitization exercises is anything to go by then Karonga will register a large number of voters,” he said.
He added that challenges faced in the previous phases including faulty machines are now a thing of the past.
“I’m optimistic that the machines that we have been brought in are in order and we will be able to do our jobs but if we encounter any faulty machines our technicians are there on the ground to ensure that no registration centre is left behind,” explained the commissioner.
Banda therefore urged traditional leaders, the civil society and the media among others to leave no stone unturned in the sensitization drive so that messages of registration reaches the rural masses.
In his remarks, paramount Chief Kyungu urged his subjects to go out in large numbers for registration saying doing so will accord them the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right of choosing their leaders in the upcoming 2019 general elections.
