As voter verification exercise enters the third phase, it is has been discovered that some people who did not register during voter registration period are now flocking to centres get registered.
Such incidences were experienced in Chiradzulu on Tuesday (the first day of the verification exercise), where some people mistook the verification exercise for registration.
However, they were advised that the exercise was meant for those who already registered, to confirm if their details were recorded correctly in the voters roll.
In an interview, Supervisor of Chiradzulu primary school, Gracian Chimbelenga, said the team sent back a number of people due to the same reason.
Chimbelenga said: “It is unfortunate that some people are only coming now, months after registration was closed. However, relatively we are doing well in the verification process.
A prospective new registrant, Brian Ali, admitted to have wanted to register, arguing he was not around when the exercise was conducted in the district.
However, he said he had understood the whole concept after being talked to by the verification team.
At around 12 o’clock, statistics in some centres showed progress while in some centres, the figures were as low as five.
In an interview, Chimbelenga said people were still coming to have their names verified, adding that as at 12 o’clock, 25 people had already done so.
“Experience has shown that we usually record low figures on the first day, but as days go by we have a high turnout,” he said, adding so far the details verified are correct.
A visit to St. Michael’s primary school centre showed that people were coming, but in few numbers.
Meanwhile, Malawi Electoral Commission has pleaded with political parties to engage their supporters in partaking the exercise.
The four-day exercise is currently taking place in Mangochi district, Mangochi town, Balaka, Machinga, Zomba district, Zomba city central and Chiradzulu, from 26-30 December 2018.
