The National Registration Bureau (NRB) has firmly denied allegations that national identity cards are being secretly printed at the National Food Reserve Agency’s (NFRA) Kanengo storage facility in Lilongwe. This clarification comes after a high-profile visit by opposition legislators on Wednesday.
Representatives from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Transformation Movement (UTM), and United Democratic Front (UDF) inspected the NFRA maize storage facility following reports of covert operations involving citizenship certificates.
Mphatso Sambo, Principal Secretary for the NRB, addressed the concerns, stating that the facility is used solely as a holding and sorting area for national IDs awaiting distribution. “This is part of our uniform process conducted across all regions,” Sambo emphasized.
Sambo also dismissed allegations that equipment belonging to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) was found at the site. He clarified that the facility’s operations are entirely logistical and unrelated to any electoral processes.
However, DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhito expressed disappointment, suggesting that the NRB should have proactively informed all political parties about its use of the NFRA site to avoid unnecessary suspicions.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged political parties to exercise caution when disseminating information that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The opposition parties have not commented further on their findings, indicating they were unaware of the facility’s legitimate use by the NRB prior to their visit.
