NICE intensifies voter education in Machinga ahead of elections

In a bid to enhance electoral participation and quality of votes cast, the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust in Machinga has intensified voter civic education to prepare voters well ahead of the September 16 general election to minimise void votes,

On Monday, the voter civic education too NICE Trust to Ngokwe in the district, where, apart from the voting procedure, the voters were also provided with information roles of various candidates, and key policy issues to ensure they make informed decisions on the polling day.

NICE Programmes Officer in Machinga, Francis Mugwa, said the mobilisation was relevant considering that Machinga is among the districts that register low voter turnout.

“We are only remaining with 85 days to September 16, and most people amongst the few voters that registered are knowledgeable enough about voting procedures. We want to ensure the few votes that were registered will not be wasted,” he added.

Mugwa said NICE Trust was committed to empowering voters with good knowledge about electoral procedures.

“Our goal is to bridge the information gap even in hard-to-reach areas such as Ngokwe, with the intent to keep voters updated and equip them with all the insights so that they can practice their voter rights,” he said.

Johane Mponda of Ngokwe said the voter civic education had been informative for their voting procedures.

“I didn’t know how to properly fill out a ballot paper, but today’s session has clarified everything to me. Now, I am confident that I can cast my vote correctly without spoiling it and have my voice heard,” he said.

Mary Stande, a vendor at Ngokwe Market, also believed that the NICE campaign will also play a significant role towards peaceful and credible elections.

“The voter civic education will help to reduce tensions and conflicts at polling stations, thereby contributing to a more peaceful environment,” she added.

NICE is working towards achieving a 100 per cent voter turnout in Machinga for the upcoming elections, where 253,363 people registered across 259 polling centers.