NRB battles odds to register 1.5 million Malawians
By Lovemore Khomo
Malawi’s National Registration Bureau (NRB) has faced numerous challenges in its national ID registration exercise, despite surpassing its target by registering over 1.5 million people.
Principal Secretary for Homeland Security, Mphatso Sambo, highlighted the challenges during a press conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday.
“We face challenges such as inadequate operating machines and lack of electricity in some areas.
Additionally, the distance to registration centers is a challenge for some, which affects turnout in other areas,” said Sambo.
He further expressed concern over the difficulties in reaching remote areas, stating, “We are aware that despite beating the target of new registrants, there are still pockets of Malawians who have turned 16 but are yet to register with us.”
However, despite these challenges, the NRB has achieved a significant milestone in registering over 1.5 million people, exceeding its initial target.
Sambo acknowledged, “We are happy that we have successfully completed eight phases of registration, and it exceeds our expectations, which is a great achievement.”
The registration exercise has been ongoing for several phases, with the NRB working to ensure that all Malawians have access to national IDs.
Sambo emphasized the importance of registration, stating, “We did not indicate statistics for replacements because the figures were already in the system by the time of registration.”
The achievement is a testament to the NRB’s efforts to overcome the challenges faced during the registration process.
Sambo’s acknowledgment of the challenges and the successes demonstrates the bureau’s commitment to ensuring that all Malawians have access to national IDs.
The National Registration Bureau (NRB) is mandated to register all Malawian citizens and provide them with national IDs, in accordance with the National Registration Act of 2017.
The bureau is responsible for creating and maintaining a national register of all citizens, and issuing identification documents to eligible individuals.
The NRB’s ultimate goal is to ensure that all Malawians have access to national IDs, which are essential for accessing various services and exercising civic rights.
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