By Yankho Kandio
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has expressed optimism over growing public participation in the ongoing voter verification exercise, following a modest turnout during the initial hours of the first day in Salima.
MEC Commissioner, Dr Emmanuel Fabiano, who visited several centres across different constituencies in the district on Tuesday said while turnout was low early morning, the numbers steadily rose as the day progressed.
“This is day one, in the morning hours, the first centre that I went to, nobody had verified their names. However, as the day went by, at different centres in different constituencies, the numbers went up,” Fabiano said.
He attributed the increased figures to increased awareness as they urged all registered voters to take advantage of the opportunity to confirm their details ahead of the forthcoming elections.
“We know that as the awareness continues, that we are available for people to verify and inspect their names in the voter’s register, there will be more people coming,” he said.
Dr Fabiano reported no major issues at the five centres he had visited by midday.
The Commission has also rolled out a supplementary mobile verification system to make the process even more accessible.
Through this platform, registered voters can confirm their details using their mobile phones by dialing *2509# and entering either their voter certificate number or national identity number.
The service is free and can be used multiple times on the same phone to assist other voters.
While emphasizing that the mobile system does not replace the physical centres, MEC sees it as a crucial complement to improve convenience and reach.
On this point, Fabiano highlighted the responsibility of political parties and civil society organizations to deploy monitors and observers to ensure transparency.
“Political parties, civil society organizations and anybody else that wants to send monitors and observers, have both the right and responsibility to do that,” he said.
According to Fabiano, the verification exercise, running concurrently at centres and via mobile phones, is a vital step towards ensuring a clean and credible register ahead of the elections.
