By Burnett Munthali
Concerns are emerging from Dowa District over irregularities in the ongoing voter registration exercise for the 2025 general elections.
A particularly striking incident involves a 16-year-old being allowed to register to vote despite being underage. This occurred in the presence of political party monitors from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Transformation Movement (UTM), and Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The incident has highlighted key weaknesses in the system, particularly the lack of adequate training for party monitors. Observers note that many monitors appear unprepared to execute their duties effectively, which compromises the integrity of the registration process.
Critics have also pointed to the inability of opposition parties such as DPP, UTM, and UDF to provide strong oversight. Their limited presence and engagement during the registration process have left room for potential manipulation, leaving monitors from the ruling MCP with an apparent advantage.
Another major challenge is the financial struggles faced by both party monitors and observers. For example, MCP has reportedly provided its monitors with allowances of K75,000, ensuring their consistent presence at registration centers. In contrast, observers from the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) are only receiving K20,000 for two weeks of work, a figure many consider inadequate for effective monitoring.
Similarly, monitors from opposition parties are said to be underfunded, further limiting their ability to participate actively in the registration exercise.
The role of NICE has also come under scrutiny, with some stakeholders accusing the organization of failing to adequately prepare monitors and observers for the registration process. NICE, tasked with providing voter education and ensuring transparency in electoral processes, is reportedly struggling due to insufficient funding and resources.
Stakeholders have called for urgent interventions to address these issues. They are urging the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and other relevant bodies to strengthen training for party monitors and observers, while also ensuring equitable funding for all political parties involved in the electoral process.
The success of the 2025 general elections largely hinges on the integrity of the voter registration process, and these challenges must be resolved to safeguard Malawi’s democratic future.
