Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Chitipa have expressed concerns over lack of funding to carry out voter registration awareness campaigns for 2019 polls.

The first phase of the exercise in Salima, Dedza and Kasungu districts was marred by low turnout which some quarters have blamed it on poor awareness campaigns.

Chairperson of Civil Society Organizations in Chitipa, Sydney Simwaka said they are afraid that the district may experience the same challenges as at the moment,  there is no money to conduct the awareness with only two months before the start of the exercise.

Simwaka said there is a need for intensive awareness campaigns in a bid to encourage people to register.

He said the registration campaign is supposed to be done, 90 days before the initial registration.

Simwaka warned that failure to do that, will see the district registering few people which will at the end have a very big negative impact during the elections.

The second phase of voter registration exercise is underway in Dowa, Ntchisi, Mchinji and Nkhota-kota.

Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi, Machinga and Chiradzulu districts are in the 7th phase of the exercise which will run from October 8-11.