The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it has registered a total 7,537,548 voters nationwide for the 2014 Tripartite Elections set for May.

The total registered represents 94.10 percent of the projected total for the exercise which was 8,009,734 registrants, and 16 percent above the 6,500,759 voters in 2010, the Commission says.

Of the total registered voters, 3,481,365 are men representing a 46.19 percent while 4,056,183 are women representing a 53.81 percent, reads the MEC statement.

The registration exercise started on July 22, 2013 and covered nine phases of 14 days each. It ended on December 18, 2013 at the end of phase 9 of the voter registration drive.

For the first time, Malawi will hold tripartite elections that will see the electorate choosing a President, Members of Parliament and Councillors. A Presidential debate is also expected to be held prior to the elections.