The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has started registration and verification of voters for next month’s local government by-elections.

The by-election is scheduled to take place in Balaka’s Shire Ward, Lupembe Ward in Karonga and Wenya Ward in Chitipa.

According to MEC’s Director of Media and Public Relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa, the exercise is progressing smoothly despite the country having power challenges in some areas.

He said: “We are aware that the country is experiencing energy problems, so in the centers is that we are doing registration and update.

We got back up power that will allow us to continue operating even in the absence of Escom energy.”

Mwafulirwa has since asked all eligible voters in the respective areas to verify their details.

“I will give set cases whereby we have people reporting at the wrong centres on the polling day, know that the fact that they are not registered but they are registered.

But they forgot the centre they registered and the report at the wrong centre such people, if they go for the verification, it would be easier for us to advise them that,” Mwafulirwa said.

The by-election is being conducted because councillors in the aforementioned wards died.