MEC speaks out on Nkhata-Bay voters roll mists

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has clarified on registered voters in Nkhata Bay District, dismissing some media reports which indicate that in 2019, MEC voters register had 106,374 people while in 2020 it carried 96,435.

Briefing the media on Thursday at College of Medicine at the National Tally Centre in Blantyre, MEC Chairperson, Chifundo Kachale, said the figure rose due to transfers.

“The commission has heard media reports indicating that there were issues to do with the total number of registered voters in Nkhata Bay.

“The media reports that in 2019, the MEC voters register had 106,374, but this year the register shows 96,435 people,” he said.

Kachale said it was reported that this created a heated debate and that the returning officer and MEC district staff did not have answers.

“MEC wishes to clarify that the total number of registered voters for the 2019 elections in Nkhata Bay was 106,074 while for the 2020 Fresh Presidential Election figure, after factoring in transfers, it is 106,374. The figure has increased by 300,” the MEC chairperson clarified.

Kachale emphasized that the commission circulated the voters roll to all political parties and encouraged them to use it should such a situation arise.

He said the commission also published a summary of total registered voters at each polling station, constituency and district in the Weekend Nation and Malawi News editions of 20th June, 2020 prior to the polls.

“In fact, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation aired the total registered voters on Monday, June 22, 2020. It is our honest expectation that stakeholders should make reference to such publicly available information,” Kachale said.