MEC assures of effectiveness of electoral management devices

* The equipment would be used anywhere in the country including in the remotest areas regardless of power challenges

* As they come along with the power banks that run the devices in the areas where there is no electricity

By Moses Nyirenda, MANA

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has expressed confidence in its newly introduced electoral management devices (EMDs) which the commission is expected to use in conducting electoral processes including voter registration for the upcoming 2025 general election.

Speaking on Friday during an engagement meeting which MEC organised to interact with development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media on electoral processes, MEC chairperson, Annabel Mtalimanja assured that the newly-introduced EMDs are reliable and secure.

“The machines are secure and all the data will be secure because one of the issues that raise concern is the issue surrounding security and I can assure Malawians that the devices are secure and the system is secure,” Mtalimanja said.

She added that the equipment would be used anywhere in the country including in the remotest areas regardless of power challenges, saying they come with the power banks that run the devices in the areas where there is no electricity.

She also said MEC has introduced the device to ensure that every eligible voter with national ID card or proof of National Registration Bureau is able to register and take part in voting during the upcoming general election.

She further said MEC will soon embark on voter registration exercise using the EMDs and appealed to the CSOs and the media to help in raising awareness to the public about the voter registration processes in order for eligible voters to be able to register and vote.

“Our encouragement to the CSOs and the media is to help us sensitise the public to ensure that every eligible voter has taken the time to register with NRB because every potential voter without a national ID will not be able to register,” she said.

In an interview, Women Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC) Executive Director, Maggie Kathewera hailed MEC for introducing the EMDs: “We are living in a technologically advanced world and the adoption of EMDs is something that has to be commended.”

MEC engagement meeting attracted representatives from various CSOs including WOLREC, Oxfam Malawi, Cise Malawi as well as Media Council of Malawi and Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chapter.