National Registration Bureau (NRB) on Monday launched “Dolo Amalembesa Unzika” an initiative targeting youths that have turned 16 but have not registered.

NRB Chief Director, McFord Salanje said 500, 000 youths need registration through the bureau annually in order to access National IDs.

“the youths are not proactive in registering, in order to encourage them to come forward and register, we decided to come up with this idea” said Salanje.

Salanje continued by saying that by July 1 this year, those that are turning 16 will pay a fee penalty if they will not register within 30 days and also the bureau will embark on mass registration of children across the country in august.

On his part, UNDP Chief Technical Director, Tarik Mariq said, Malawi is on a right track in registration program.

“Malawi has done an excellent job in registering the adults, and the coverage is more that 97% of all Malawians,
eligible citizens have been given National IDs which amounts to 10 million. Malawi should congratulate itself that in Sub Saharan Africa they have almost achieved coverage of adult registration,” said Mariq.

8 million dollars largely provided by UNDP has been put aside for the youths registration campaign.