Malawi Electoral Commission Announces Second And Third Phase for Supplementary Votert Registration

The Malawi Electoral Commission (the Commission) wishes to inform all political parties, civil society organizations, and the general public that the second and third phases of the Supplementary Voter Registration Exercise will take place as follows:

Phase 2: From 27th to 28th January 2025 in Nkhata Bay, Rumphi, Likoma, Kasungu, Kasungu Municipality, Dowa, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Zomba, Zomba City, Blantyre, Blantyre City, Thyolo, and Luchenza.

Phase 3: From 2nd to 3rd February 2025 in Chitipa, Karonga, Karonga Town, Mzuzu City, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima, Dedza, Balaka, Machinga, Chiradzulu, Neno, Phalombe, and Mulanje.

The Commission wishes to emphasize that this supplementary voter registration exercise is NOT an extension of the voter registration process. Rather, it is aimed at addressing specific gaps in compliance with the court order of 25th October 2024.

As previously advised to stakeholders and the public, this exercise targets only eligible voters who fall in the following categories:

1. Individuals who were eligible but could not register as voters because the NRB had not deployed staff to the centers in the Commission’s phase 1 councils, and they have subsequently registered with the National Registration Bureau (NRB) by 4th January 2025, which was the last date for the supplementary civil registration.

2. Individuals who registered with the NRB but did not receive their National ID numbers in time to complete the voter registration process during phases 2 and 3 of voter registration.

The supplementary voter registration will NOT include persons who did NOT register as voters for reasons unrelated to the availability of NRB services or the issuance of their National ID.

The Commission will open targeted registration centres in all the wards, and the list of centres and expected number of registrants can be accessed here:

– Phase 1: https://shorturl.at/lo7LQ

– Phase 2: https://shorturl.at/SIEkm

– Phase 3: https://shorturl.at/ojOoM

The registration centres will open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and stakeholders are advised that the Election Management Devices (EMDs) have been configured to stop registering people on the 3rd of February 2025 at 4:00 pm. It is, therefore, advisable that people should go earlier for the registration process.

The Commission reiterates its commitment to delivering free, fair, and credible elections on 16th September 2025. The Commission is grateful to all stakeholders, including political parties and civil society organizations, for their continued support and cooperation as we work to fulfill our constitutional mandate.

Signed this 23rd day of January 2025

Sangwani Mwafulirwa

(Director, Media and Public Relations)

DOWNLOAD THE FULL STATEMENT THROUGH THIS LINK: https://shorturl.at/glP6O