Voters registration in Mbeya kicks off with delays, BVR technical faults

A Mwantengule villager in Isyesye Ward, Mbeya Region, Mr Laiton Talaka, registers as an eligible voter through Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system while registration officer Abraham Nasson (left) looks on during the ongoing voter’s registration exercise which kicked off in Mbeya Region yesterday. PHOTO | BRANDY NELSON 

By The Citizen Correspondents

In Summary

In Mbeya city, the registration started around 9:40 am instead of 8am as indicated on the timetable.

Mbeya, Mbozi /Chunya. Voters registration exercise in Mbeya Region kicked off yesterday amid several challenges caused by delays of Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) kits and other important equipment.

In Mbeya city, the registration started around 9:40 am instead of 8am as indicated on the timetable.

Residents of Nsalaga, Uyole and Isyesye wards in the city arrived at the registration centres at around 6am only to wait until 9:40am to start enrolling in the voters registry.

Some residents who spoke to The Citizen blamed registration officers for reporting at their respective centres as late as 9:00am.

The Isyesye Ward Executive Officer, Mr Kisandu Ladislaus, said most registration officers arrived late at the centres because they were forced to distribute BVR kits to various centres in the area.

“The officials failed to be at their stations on time because they were also involved in distributing BVR kits to various registration stations, therefore it was not easy for everyone to be at his/her station on time, these are normal challenges,” he said.

At Mwantengule registration centre, the officials arrived at around 9:30am, but the BVR machine could not work properly and therefore the exercise could not be conducted. The ward election supervisor, Mr Emmanuel Timoth, said the machine developed technical faults, which could not be solved immediately.

In Chunya District the registration started in Kipembawe and Kwimba wards. The exercise also started in Mbozi District but some machines could not work due to technical problems.

Chunya District election officer, Mr Weston Njeje said his council was looking forward to registering 151,000 voters using 75 BVR kits.