Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) Chairperson, Judge Annabel Mtalimanja, has said there shall not be officers from the National Registration Bureau (NRB) at registration centres for the by-election slated for March 17 this year.
Mtalimanja said everyone who is not registered with NRB must visit the bureau’s offices in order to register before the Mec registration process is concluded on February 6 this year.
She said this at Chikamveka Primary School in Chilunga Ward, Zomba City North Constituency, where the commission was launching a by-election following the death of one of the aspirants.
The aspirant died before the September 16, 2025 Parliamentary Election.
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“We shall not have officers from NRB at our registration centres as we did in the previous registration. This is why we are notifying everyone who wants to cast their vote to take note of the arrangement in order to put themselves in a better position to vote,” Mtalimanja said.
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She has since elaborated the electoral process for the by-election in the areas where elections were suspended due to other inconveniences.
Mtalimanja added that they would not tolerate the practice of handouts during the campaign period.
“Anyone found perpetuating the act [giving handouts’ shall be apprehended and the law shall take its course.
“We would also like to have the campaign conducted in a peaceful manner,” Mtalimanja said.
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She then warned those who want to register when they have not reached the eligible age, saying they would not condone that.
“This act has a number of future implications. We are advising the general public that some of the underaged [people] might miss opportunities such as scholarships in future because their registry will not show their real ages,” she said.
Chilunga Ward will have the by-election because one of the aspirants, Abraham Nyondo, of Prophet David Mbewe’s Liberation for Economic Freedom (LEF) Party died weeks before the September 16, 2025 Presidential Election.
Zomba City Council Chief Executive Officer Archangel Bakolo said the council had been affected by the absence of a councillor in Chilunga Ward.
“There are some issues that need a councillor’s representation at the council,” he said.
“However, we are excited that the elections are here now,” he said.
The electoral calendar shows that the campaign period shall end on March 15, with the elections being held on March 17, 2026.
