National Registration Bureau (NRB) has condemned the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for disclosing personal details of registrants contained in NRB database, saying the data was obtained illegally.
NRB chief director Mackford Somanje made the remarks today during a joint press conference with the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
He said the disclosure or exposure of personal details of registrants in the National ID Database contravenes both the National Registration Act (2010) as well as the E-transactions and Cyber Security Act (2016).
“The NRB data was obtained and disclosed illegally contravening several provisions of the E-Transaction and Cyber Security Act,” said Somanje.
He mentioned three provisions each of which attracts a fine of K2 million and imprisonment of up to five years.
Last month, MCP said the NRB database contained numerous discrepancies and there are also minors who were registered as aged 18 or above hence eligible to register as voters. The party demanded the auditing of the NRB databases.
The party’s IT expert Daud Suleman said the party obtained the NRB database from MEC for purposes of using it for the 2019 elections court case.
Somanje at the press briefing said NRB is not in a position to allow MCP or its agents to audit the National ID Database as this will contravene Section 44 of the National Registration Act (2010).
He added that the National Audit Office is the only body mandated to audit the NRB database and this process is already currently underway.
On registration of minors during a recent voter registration exercise for voting purposes, he said NRB has instituted investigations to verify the validity of these allegations.
Said Somanje: “Therefore the ID data that has been captured during the Voter Registration exercise will be checked and properly adjudicated before being processed further for issuance of ID.”
