The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced that the commencement of the Supplementary Voter Registration Exercise, initially scheduled for Friday, January 10, 2025, has been deferred. A new start date will be announced in due course.
Sangwani Mwafulirwa, MEC Director of Media and Public Relations, stated that the postponement is necessary to allow for a thorough analysis of data provided by the National Registration Bureau (NRB).
He said this analysis will inform the MEC’s approach to the registration exercise, including verifying the number of individuals who registered with the NRB during the voter registration period and re-adapting the logistics plan for optimal accessibility.
MEC emphasizes that the supplementary voter registration exercise aims to address specific gaps in compliance with a court order issued on October 25, 2024.
The exercise targets eligible voters who were eligible but couldn’t register due to the NRB’s unavailability in Phase 1 councils and have since registered with the NRB by January 4, 2025.
It also targets individuals who registered with the NRB but didn’t receive their National ID numbers in time to complete the voter registration process during Phases 2 and 3. MEC emphasizes that this exercise is not an extension of the voter registration process but rather a measure to address specific gaps.
