Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has called on Malawians to register for national Identify (ID) cards with the National Registration Bureau (NRB) for them to be able to register and vote in the 2025 tripartite elections slated for September 16, 2025.

Previously, MEC used to accept letters from Village Heads and passports and other IDs as a form of identification for people to register as voters.

Speaking in Mzimba on Monday during a meeting with various electoral stakeholders on voter registration centres and constituency tally centres, MEC Commissioner, Richard Chapweteka said the new electoral laws approved by parliament only recognises the national ID issued by NRB as the only bonafide identification for one to be registered as a voter.

He said MEC plans to discard all previous voter registrations so that it should have fresh voter registration hence everyone would be required to register in preparation for the 2025 election.

‘‘We will have new voter registration for the 2025 elections where every eligible voter is expected to register afresh as we want to have clean register.

“Some voters may have died while others may have migrated somewhere and because of those reasons and others, we want to have new registration. We will discard previous voter registrations,’’ the Commissioner said.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Mzimba South East Constituency, Ackson Kalaile Banda asked MEC to bring sanity to some constituencies as some MPs have abandoned some areas after the demarcation exercise.

MEC Commissioner, Anthony Mukumbwa said in spite of the demarcations that have taken place and made some MPs lose some areas of their constituencies, the incumbent MPs should still maintain their roles for the people who elected them as the new demarcations would be in effect during 2025 elections not now.

Inkosi ya Mokosi M’mbelwa applauded MEC for holding the sensitisation meeting with all electoral stakeholders saying elections demand transparency to achieve integrity.