The wave of demonstrations demanding the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja and Chief Elections Officer Andrew Mpesi has now gone nationwide, with the northern chapter of Citizens for Credible Elections (CfCE) confirming its participation in the June 26 protests.
Speaking in Mzuzu on Friday, CFCE’s Northern Region Team Leader Gomezgani Nkhoma said the protests are necessary to restore trust in the electoral process and hold the commission accountable.
“These demonstrations are aimed at forcing the resignation of Mtalimanja and Mpesi. We believe the two are too compromised to preside over free, fair, and credible elections. The demos will also denounce their partisan conduct manifested by the rejection of demands by stakeholders while clinging to the use of the system, stakeholders reject,” Nkhoma said
Nkhoma added that MEC’s recent response to political parties who had echoed CfCE’s call for an EMS audit was laced with “arrogance and an unwillingness to engage constructively,” a posture he said has further eroded public confidence.
CfCE and other stakeholders are describing the commission’s arrogant and dismissive stance toward calls for transparency, particularly the demand for an independent audit of the Elections Management System (EMS).
The group, which also expressed concern about MEC’s clinging to Smartmatic, argue that a thorough and independent review is essential to prevent manipulation and build public trust ahead of the 2025 elections.
Initially, the demonstrations seemed to be limited to Lilongwe, where the first protest was announced. However, the momentum soon spread, with chapters in Mangochi and Blantyre swiftly declaring their participation.
