NRB set to renew 25,000 expired, damaged IDs in Blantyre

By Tarcizio Mondwe

lantyre, March 5, Mana: National Registration Bureau (NRB) has launched an intensive outreach program in Blantyre District aimed at renewing over 25,000 national identity (ID) cards that have been lost, expired, damaged, or defaced.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday, NRB Principal Registration Officer for Blantyre Samuel Mongora confirmed that the exercise commenced on Monday and is designed to scale according to public need.

“This is an ongoing outreach programme, and it will be intensified depending on client demand,” Mongora said.

He said the Bureau has identified several key centres for the exercise, including Chirimba Primary School, Sigerege School, South Lunzu Primary School, Lirangwe School, Chikuli Trading Centre, and Mdeka Teacher Development Centre to ensure wide coverage.

“In addition to these centres, people can also renew their national IDs at already existing registration points such as the Blantyre Main Office and six post offices, namely Lunzu, Ndirande, Soche, Mpemba, Limbe, and Bangwe,” Mongora said.

He underscored the importance of establishing multiple centres to bring essential services closer to citizens, noting that IDs expire daily based on individual registration records.

He assured the public that the renewal process is smooth and efficient, encouraging residents to patronise the centres in large numbers.

“Under normal circumstances, renewed IDs are typically printed within 30 working days,” he stated.

Mongora reminded the public that while the outreach focuses on renewals, national registration remains a continuous government function available at all designated district offices.

Mercy Kamwana, a resident of Bangwe Township, commended the Bureau for the outreach, noting that it ensures citizens maintain valid identification required to access essential social and financial services.

She appealed to the Bureau to fast track the printing process to ensure that all expired cards are replaced in a timely manner.