Malawi's Election Body Seeks Media, CSOs to Boost Voter Registration Drive
Lilongwe, Malawi - The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has called on civil society organizations (CSOs) and the media to conduct extensive public awareness campaigns ahead of the September 2024 voter registration period, writes Martin Kamlaike.
MEC Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja made the request Friday at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, where the commission briefed stakeholders on the functionalities of the Election Management Devices (EMDs) that will be used in the 2025 general elections.
"The commission requests, through our partners, particularly CSOs and the media, to assist us in disseminating this information to the public," Mtalimanja said.
"I underline the request, which is also to ensure that all information you are disseminating is correct information."
Mtalimanja emphasized the MEC's commitment to transparency and open communication, assuring stakeholders that the commission will provide guidance and verify any information shared with the public.
"The machines are going to be used for voter registration," Mtalimanja said. "Some of the issues that came up, such as accessibility to remote areas and network connectivity issues, have been addressed."
She also reassured the public about the security of the electoral data, praising the EMDs as a safe and secure way to store the information collected by the commission.
Maggie Kathewera Banda, Board Chair of the NGO Gender Coordination Network, commended the MEC for embracing technology and for moving quickly to adopt the EMDs.
"The only thing that I am seeing is just that people have to be oriented, people have to be aware of in terms of what the technology is all about, and how it is going to capture their data and how it is going to be used," Kathewera Banda said.
Banda expressed satisfaction that the new technology includes features to accommodate people with disabilities, ensuring that everyone can participate in the electoral process.