By Pemphero Malimba:
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has reiterated that any move to amend the law regarding the eligibility criteria for voter identity could negatively impact the commission’s activities.
Mec Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja made this statement yesterday after engaging with members of the Defence and Security Committee of Parliament about the electoral body’s security preparedness for the 2025 elections.
Mtalimanja was responding to a question from Mulanje Central legislator Kondwani Nankhumwa, who inquired about the potential impact of electoral laws amendments on eligibility criteria.
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However, the opposition and other stakeholders dismissed Mtalimanja’s assertions, stating that the priority should be to act in the best interests of Malawians.
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Section 12 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act stipulates that a person who is eligible to be registered as a voter in an election must present, in person to a registration officer, proof of their national identify (ID) card issued by the National Registration Bureau (NRB).
Mtalimanja indicated that amending the Act might require the commission to redesign its activities, affecting everything from budgeting to the configuration of its machines.
“All our planning in terms of budgeting and the configuration of the machines is currently aligned with the national IDs.
“Should there be any amendments, we would need to return to the drawing board and our operational plan, which has been aligned to the national ID, would have to be redesigned,” the Mec Chair said.
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Commenting on election security, Mtalimanja assured that safety and security are guaranteed.
“We have security protocols in place to ensure the integrity of the data within the devices, as well as the system used to manage the election.
“We are working with what we have now, and in light of the attendant issues regarding any electronic aspects of our system, we have implemented security protocols to ensure the system’s safety and the integrity of the data,” she said.
Chairperson of the Defence and Security Committee of Parliament, Salim Bagus, however, dismissed Mec’s concerns, arguing that the country previously held elections where national IDs were not required as proof of eligibility for voters.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) publicity secretary Shadric Namalomba told The Daily Times yesterday that the party will do everything possible to push for an amendment to the law.
“We will do anything at all costs, including amending the Act to remove the requirement for national identity cards and approaching the courts to challenge this unconstitutional requirement.
“It should be noted that it is our duty as citizens of Malawi to ensure that our constitutional right to vote is protected at all costs,” Namalomba said.
He added that it is imperative that Mec upholds its responsibility to provide every Malawian with the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to choose their leaders.
Namalomba stressed that his party has no objections to Mec redesigning its activities.
He said the DPP “firmly stands against any form of election rigging that disenfranchises and discriminates against voters.”
“It is their right to make their own choices about their leaders and the development of our nation. Therefore, any attempts to delay elections and prolong the rule of this incompetent regime will not be tolerated,” Namalomba charged.
Political and governance commentator Wonderful Mkhutche suggested that there is a need for roundtable discussions to address issues surrounding national IDs.
Mkhutche urged political parties that believe allowing only those with national IDs to register to vote may exclude others to conduct research to substantiate their claims.
“Otherwise, this issue has been discussed based on assumptions, which is not beneficial. We need something tangible to present to Mec and other stakeholders for further action,” he said.
On the other hand, Mkhutche said allowing people without national IDs to register and vote could be in the best interests of Malawians.
Opposition political parties have raised concerns over the use of the national ID as the sole official document for voter registration, apparently due to the challenges some potential voters face in obtaining the IDs.
Mec is expected to roll out the first phase of the voter registration exercise on 21 October 2024, in 2,100 registration centres across the country.
At least 4,200 police officers are expected to oversee the centres.
