Chisankho Watch—a coalition of four civic organizations— has praised the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for a “promising start” in the first phase of voter registration, but expressed concerns over low voter turnout, access issues, and voter manipulation linked to social programs.
Speaking during the press briefing Thursday morning in Lilongwe, the coalition’s Board Chairperson Rev. Bishop Gilford Matonga noted that while the process was generally well-organized, the number of registered voters fell below expectations in the initial phase.
Matonga attributed this to possible misinformation, insufficient civic education, and logistical challenges.
“There are probably different reasons why people did not register as much as we expected. We are thinking maybe misinformation or disinformation, lack of civic education for people that are living in these constituencies, probably some of those things could have prevented the number of people from registering,” he said.
Matonga also said other serious concerns involved reports of voter registration slips being tied to access to social welfare programs as Chisankho Watch found that in some districts, registrants were allegedly told to present their voter registration slips to receive benefits such as food items or social aid like the Mtukula Pakhomo social cash transfer program.
© 📷 Matonga: We found that there were concerns over low turnout and voter manipulation“As Chisankho Watch, we condemn that the registration process should not be combined with social programs such as those. We would really want to see that the registration process is detached from any other programs because such kind of combination of programs with registration can be deemed to be a means to corrupt the voters that are supposed to be registering,” he added.
The coalition, which includes the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, the Public Affairs Committee, the Gender and Justice Unit, and mHub, deployed 49 observers across all districts in the first phase of registration from October 21 to November 3.
The observers reported that most registration centers operated smoothly, opening on time and following biometric data collection protocols.
However, Chisankho Watch’s report highlighted accessibility issues: 47% of registration centers had steps but no ramps, limiting access for persons with disabilities. In some cases, registration staff assisted people with mobility challenges, yet accessibility varied by location.
The coalition urged the MEC to address these issues in future phases by ensuring that all centers are equipped with ramps, prioritizing inclusivity for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly.
On Electronic Management Devices (EMDs) used for biometric registration reportedly functioned efficiently, with few technical disruptions compared to a problematic pilot phase earlier this year. Nonetheless, only 38% of centers had on-site technical support, which Chisankho Watch advised should be increased to address any device malfunctions promptly.
© 📷 A registration centre in BalakaAnother challenge cited was misinformation about the registration process, with some potential voters in districts like Karonga and Chiradzulu believing that fingerprint scanning equated to casting a vote. This misconception discouraged some individuals from registering.
Matonga urged all stakeholders, including political parties, to engage in honest dialogue to avoid spreading disinformation that could reduce voter turnout.
When questioned about the impartiality of the current Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Matonga noted that Chisankho Watch remains neutral but vigilant.
“It is premature to cast judgment. The MEC should be given the opportunity to perform without unwarranted criticism. Judging individuals based on their background is counterproductive; we should focus on their performance,” he said.
The second phase of voter registration is set to run from 9th to 22nd November 2024.
Launched on 19th October 2024 in Lilongwe to ensure a credible, transparent, and peaceful electoral process by providing informed insights and recommendations based on evidence from their field observations, Chisankho Watch is funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and technical assistance from National Democratic Institute (NDI).
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