The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is facing mounting pressure from five major opposition political parties over concerns about the integrity and transparency of the country’s electoral system ahead of the 2025 general elections.
The parties the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), United Transformation Movement (UTM), Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), and People’s Party (PP) have accused the Commission of being evasive and uncooperative in facilitating an independent review of the voter information systems.
Ben Chakhame, Secretary General of the People’s Party, expressed frustration with the Commission’s alleged unwillingness to engage constructively with the opposition on pre-election matters.
“They are showing arrogance while trying to buy time. On our part as political parties, time is not on our side. This week, MEC will hear from us,” Chakhame said.
The opposition coalition says it is particularly concerned about whether voter data, referred to as “savers,” contains accurate and up-to-date information a critical component of a credible electoral process. The group is demanding access to audit the electoral system to ensure transparency and voter confidence.
In a written response, MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa confirmed that the Commission is scheduled to meet with political parties this Friday. However, tensions remain high amid reports that MEC has been reluctant to allow external audits of its systems.
MEC Chairperson Anabel Mtalimanja, in an earlier interview, defended the Commission’s position, stating that access to the system would not be granted due to “security issues.”
“We cannot compromise the security and integrity of our systems by allowing unchecked access,” Mtalimanja stated.
Adding to the controversy, opposition parties have raised red flags about the Smartmatic voting machines set to be used in the upcoming elections.
Though MEC maintains confidence in the technology, verified reports indicate that Smartmatic systems have previously encountered issues in other countries, raising further questions about their reliability.
The opposition is now calling for a comprehensive, independent audit of the electoral system to safeguard the credibility of the election and reassure the public that the process is free from manipulation.
As the Friday meeting approaches, all eyes are on MEC to see whether it will concede to the demands for transparency or continue to uphold its current stance on electoral system access.
Observers warn that failure to resolve these disputes could cast a shadow over Malawi’s democratic processes.
