The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected claims regarding the failure of the Smartmatic systems that are scheduled to be used in the upcoming general elections in September 2025.
During the seventh edition of the CUNIMA (Catholic University of Malawi) Conversation on the theme “Adoption of Election Technology in Malawi: Opportunities and Challenges,” MEC’s Legal Service Manager, Lawrence Lunguzi, stated that the device has been cleared of the errors observed in other countries.
Lunguzi emphasized that the commission specifically requested a customized device tailored to meet the needs of Malawi’s elections, thereby exempting it from the problems faced by the systems used elsewhere.
“It’s not correct to say there are issues with our device. Although it may be produced by Smartmatic, the model we are using in Malawi is different and is an updated version,” said Lunguzi.
Burton Mhango, a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the Catholic University of Malawi, supported Lunguzi’s statements and highlighted the importance of adopting election technology in the country.
However, he expressed concerns about the judiciary’s readiness to handle election-related cases involving technology in Malawi.
He noted that the nation needs to establish adequate technological infrastructure to ensure that the implementation of such technologies is beneficial to the public.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Malawi are urging the Malawi Electoral Commission to disqualify the Smartmatic systems from the upcoming general elections. They cite significant concerns regarding electoral integrity and public trust due to the system’s controversial history worldwide.
The CSOs argue that MEC’s proposal to utilize the Smartmatic system in the 2025 elections raises serious questions about electoral integrity, transparency, and public confidence.
However, during the CUNIMA conversation, which provides a platform for experts to discuss issues of national interest, the adoption of election technology was a prominent topic for the latest edition.
