Be active in identifying foreigners--Commissioner Chinkwita Phiri

Commissioner Ambassador Rev Chinkwita-Phiri, Chairperson
of Electoral Services Committee

By Emmie Banda
MEC Stringer, Dedza
Electoral stakeholders in Dedza have been asked to take a leading role of identifying people who are not Malawians during registration.

This has been said by Commissioner Reverend Ambassador  Emmanuel Chinkwita Phiri during a Multiparty Liaison Committee which was held at Thete with an aim of finding a way of helping people of Dedza South West and Dedza Central constituency on boundaries between the two constituencies.

Commissioner Chinkwita said that if the district is to register required people it will rely on the party monitors who know many people who go to register.

Speaking on the same issue National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) district officer for Dedza, Patrick Siwinda said that these monitors should be very active to trace these people because others go with last elections registration identity cards that shows  that they are Malawians.

He added that chiefs should not be on the forefront in giving evidence to people whom they know that they are foreigners.

On the issue of boundaries Commissioner Chinkwita said that it was the duty of stakeholders in the district to decide on a way forward so that people in the boundaries of the two constituencies should not register and vote in an area which is not their ward.

This made members of the Multiparty Liaison Committee to establish a satelite registration centre at Tanyaze Private Secondary School which is closer to people around Thete Trading Centre who were planning to go and register at Thete Primary School which is in another constituency.