Voter registration exercise cancelled in Malawi as covid-19 cases rise to 8

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Registration exercise for the forthcoming fresh presidential election slated for July, 2020, which started on April 4 this month, has been suspended following a rise in cases of coronavirus.

The Special Cabinet Committee on coronavirus has made the anouncement at a press briefing in Lilongwe today.

It comes in the wake of revelations that the country has recorded three new cases of Covid-19 bringing the total number to eight.

One of the legal commentators on social media has commended the move taken by the government saying the decision is long overdue.

“The Cancellation of voter registration exercise (its being alleged that it has been cancelled) is long overdue and was so necessary. The exercise was capable of transmitting the pandemic to the rural dwell ants who lack every capacity to withstand it.

“However, has the cancellation (if indeed it has happened) followed the due process or has it been done under some unavailable powers in a certain authority? I believe it has not been done ultra vires but in strict adherence to applicable procedure or law. Otherwise, this is what Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda would discharge his anger for,” wrote LordDenning QB on his facebook page.

Malawi has so far registered one covid-19 death.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).