Malawi Electoral Body Reports Success in Pilot Voter Registration Test
As Malawi prepares for its upcoming general election in 2025, the MEC's successful pilot registration marks a crucial step in ensuring an efficient and transparent electoral process.
LILONGWE, Malawi— The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced Friday that it has successfully concluded its pilot voter registration exercise across four districts, paving the way for a nationwide rollout later this month, writes Winston Mwale.
The pilot program, which tested new registration equipment and procedures, took place in Nsanje, Neno, Lilongwe, and Chitipa districts.
Sangwani Mwafulirwa, spokesperson for the MEC, expressed satisfaction with the pilot's outcomes.
"Our machines have performed effectively well. We didn't have any significant challenge that can threaten the start of the actual voter registration," Mwafulirwa said.
The commission used the pilot to assess the operational efficiency of newly acquired registration gadgets and to refine its procedures.
While voter turnout was lower than anticipated, Mwafulirwa maintained it was sufficient for testing purposes.
"The turnout has been satisfactory. The people that turned out were a good number for us so our process has been effective and successful," he stated.
The MEC plans to conduct a national post-mortem meeting on Monday to address any remaining issues, while the full-scale voter registration begins on October 21.
Mwafulirwa emphasized the importance of the pilot in ensuring a smooth nationwide process.
"We wanted to look into its operational efficiency so that when we start the voter registration countrywide, we should be double sure that we'll not face any challenge in the field," he explained.
The spokesperson also acknowledged the role of various stakeholders in the pilot's success.
"We want to thank the parties and civil society organizations that also participated by monitoring and observing the process," Mwafulirwa added.
As Malawi prepares for its upcoming general election in 2025, the MEC's successful pilot registration marks a crucial step in ensuring an efficient and transparent electoral process.