As Malawians approach their upcoming election, it is disheartening to discover that certain activist groups, backed by some opposition parties including the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are attempting to disrupt the voting process by demanding the removal of Annabel Mtalimanja and Andrew Mpesi, the Chairperson and Chief Elections Officer of the Malawi Electoral Commission respectively.
It is interesting to note that the Chakwera administration is merely emulating the practices of the previous DPP regime.
It is therefore unlikely that Mtalimanja and Mpesi will resign because of pressure from a few human rights organizations, especially considering that Jane Ansah, the former chairperson of MEC, did not step down even after widespread protests and chaos across the country.
Excitingly, after all the hullabaloo of nullifying 2019 Presidential elections, it remains dramatic that Jane Ansah is openly vying for the seat of member of parliament in Ntcheu on a DPP ticket.
It is against this background that Mtalimanja and Mpesi will be reluctant to resign even if it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are MCP sympathisers. The precedent scenario of Jane Ansah speaks loud volumes.
In spite of this, it goes against reason and critical thinking for DPP and other activist organizations to criticize MEC at this time, considering that MEC has commissioners from major political parties, including DPP.
Therefore any demonstrations to force Mtalimanja and Mpesi to resign from their positions are not only time and resources wasting but also retrogressive.
However, not all is lost for the opposition parties as they have options to undertake.
First, DPP and other opposition parties must swallow their pride and egocentricity and must strategically leap forward to form a grand political electoral alliance with a view of ousting the Chakwera regime which has left many Malawians economically void and dilapidated.
Second, it is essential for opposition parties to guarantee the participation of their party monitors throughout every step of the election process, including the counting and recording of votes at polling stations, constituencies, districts, and national tally centres.
Third, in order to ensure transparency and accuracy, it is crucial for opposing political parties to collaborate and establish a central tally centre that can be cross-referenced with the official MEC national tally centre election results.
Lastly, in order to enhance the legitimacy of the parallel national centre, it is crucial for opposition parties to collaborate with an official from MEC. Although it may be challenging for MEC to support the parallel national tally centre, it is a viable and feasible necessity.
In conclusion, all stakeholders involved, such as the MEC, opposition parties, the international community, and civil society organizations, must collectively take action to ensure that the 2025 general elections are carried out with fairness and transparency.
