By Vincent Gunde
District Programs Officer (DPO) for Dowa Nice Trust office Alinafe Chikakuda, says her office is continuing giving civic education on voter registration exercise especially now that the voter registration exercise is starting in the district from 9th to 22nd November, 2024.
Chikakuda said her office wants the eligible voters in the district to get registered as it is their duty to elect leaders of their choice, electing leaders is part of democracy saying these people take part in the development of their areas, district and the country as a whole.
She said people have power to elect, remove or maintain their leaders through their vote by listening to their manifestos for informed choice and the entry point to fulfill this, is voter registration exercise urging people in the district to patronize all registration centres.
Speaking in an interview on Nice’s preparations for voter registration exercise, Chikakuda said Nice in the district started preparations sometime back by providing civic education focusing on democracy -teaching people about the right to elect leaders, democracy is representative leadership.
Chikakuda said through democracy, people will elect duty bearers who are accountable and transparent in every after periodic 5 years as a principle of democracy and if they are not satisfied, they can completely vote for a new person.
She said the Nice office of the district is informing people surrounding voter registration centres about the electoral laws especially offenses they can commit and the punishments during the registration process.
The DPO said the office is also emphasizing to all eligible voters on the importance of peaceful coexistence and changes in wards and constituencies demarcation, informing people on the new boundaries so that they are able to know where exactly they will register and cast their votes.
“Demarcation of wards and constituencies takes place every after 10 years, Dowa previously had 7 constituencies, now has 3 new constituencies with new boundaries making it to 10 constituencies,” said Chikakuda.
She said the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) has accredited-Nice Trust and Kasalika Community Development Organization to provide civic and voter education reaching out to the 10 constituencies of the district.
Chikakuda expressed optimistic that the two organizations will work together and joining hands to woo people in the district to register in their large number in readiness for the 16TH September, 2025 General Elections.
