The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has finally refuted allegations circulating on social media claiming that the Commission has awarded a contract for the supply and delivery of polling materials for next year’s general elections to a United Kingdom-based company.
Social media has been awash with reports that MEC has awarded a contract to Sheba Enterprise Limited, a company that was reportedly dissolved in 2015. Malawi 24 has not independently verified the claims.
In a press statement released on Thursday, MEC Chief Elections Officer, Andrew Mpesi said the Commission intends to award a contract to Sheba Enterprises and not Sheba Enterprises Limited as speculated in the social media.
Mpesi assured all concerned stakeholders that Sheba Enterprises is a Malawian Company and it participated in the international competitive bid, which the Commission had issued.
“The Commission is reminding stakeholders that it is a requirement under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets that an intention to award a contract should be published for public information so that unsuccessful bidders can request a debriefing session,” said Mpesi in the statement.
He further urged all concerned stakeholders to check the status of the company with the Registrar of Companies regarding its registration status.
The polling materials under the bid include security seals (plastics and padlocks) polling station labels, rubber bands, thumbprint pads, glue sticks, rulers, pair of scissors, calculators, plastic garbage bags, paper towels, crowd control tapes, plastic hand wash buckets, masks, gloves, sanitizer, badges, magic markers and detergents for ballot box cleaning.
Malawi will go to the polls on September 16, 2025, where the electorate is expected to usher into positions the new president, members of parliament, and ward councilors. Currently, MEC has already started preparations for the elections.
