(THE INTEGRITY OF MALAWI’s ELECTIONS UNDER SIEGE)
For Immediate Release
As Malawi staggers on the brink of electoral chaos, the Malawi Electoral Commission’s (MEC) reckless decisions have unleashed an unprecedented electoral storm that threatens to undermine the very textile of our democracy. The integrity of our elections, the cornerstone of our freedom, is undoubtedly under siege. The future of Malawi hangs in the balance as MEC’s questionable actions continue to erode public trust and jeopardize the credibility of our electoral process. We stand at a crossroads, where the choices we make today may adversely determine the course of our nation’s history. As we draw closer to the 2025 elections, MEC’s failure to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness has unnecessarily created a crisis of confidence. The alarm bells are ringing loud and clearly signaling that Malawi’s electoral integrity is under attack. To this end, MEC’s strange actions have ignited a firestorm of distrust never noticed in Malawi’s history.
CHOICE OF SMARTMATIC
The integrity of SMARTMATIC, a firm allegedly involved in electoral malpractices in Venezuela, Philippines and Kenya among others has raised concerns among electoral stakeholders. The engagement of SMARTMATIC to supply Electoral Management Devices (EMDs) and the related software raises serious concerns in view of the allegations made against them in the stated countries. Based on the information available in the public domain, this firm has a questionable track record. We therefore wonder how such an allegedly questionable firm could be engaged to supply software and electoral management devises for our 2025 elections. This is why Malawians are questioning the rationale behind procuring the EMDs from such a firm. We therefore demand that MEC should explain to Malawians as to how and why they dubiously settled for SMATMATIC without due diligence.
Electoral stakeholders are also raising serious concerns as to why MEC has procured a new software for the EMDs instead of maintaining the 2019/2020 software which was internally developed at zero cost. We demand the justification and cost value of the new software and the difference it will make. It is also surprising that MEC has changed its earlier commitment to maintain the 2019/2020 software. We demand an explanation as to why MEC has changed its earlier commitment.
The procurement EMDs and the related software from an allegedly fraudulent company SmartMatic is either out of negligence or deliberate. The MEC Chair, CEO, Director of Procurement must be fired or resign. Once the Chairperson, CEO, Procurement Director and IT Director have been removed, the new recruitment should be done by an independent body i.e. UNDP or an audit firm which should do an executive search.
TRANSMISSION OF ELECTORAL RESULTS
The Malawi Electoral Commission’s (MEC) sudden shift in electoral results transmission for the 2025 elections has raised concerns among stakeholders. The Former MEC Chair, Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale officially made a statement and assured Malawians that the 2025 electoral results will be manually transmitted. However, the current Chair has surprisingly opted for a hybrid system. A system that has not been demonstrated to Stakeholders and therefore raises a lot of suspicion.
For the integrity of the process, we therefore demand that MEC must use Manual transmission system in Management of Data. We are saying NO to Hybrid transmission of Registration and Polling Data.
MEC REFUSAL TO ENGAGE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
In a shocking betrayal of public trust, MEC has adamantly refused the involvement and services of independent auditors who enhances transparency and accountability. It is evident that without an independent oversight, the risk of voter registration manipulation, and electoral disputes will increase. This will certainly threaten the stability of our democracy. The process of engaging independent auditors is not just a matter of procedural compliance, it is a principle of good governance, a matter of national interest and best practice. By deliberately avoiding independent auditors, MEC compromises the integrity of the entire electoral process, potentially undermining the profound credibility of our elections.
We demand that MEC must unconditionally involve independent auditors in order to instill confidence and trust from stakeholders and the general public, the absence of which will render our electoral process and the results thereof questionable.
One of the key reasons for demanding the engagement of Independent ICT Auditors is the questionable credibility of SmartMatic and unsatisfactory performance of the EMDs as observed during the Pilot Phase of the 2025 Elections Voter Registration Exercise.
Therefore, the demand for the involvement of independent auditors is non-negotiable.
CONCERNS ABOUT APPOINTMENT OF MEC CHAIR AND MEC CEO
The appointment of MEC Chair, Justice Anabel Mtalimanja, a biological daughter of the late Hon. John Tembo, former President of the MCP and lifelong loyalist, raises serious concerns about conflict of interest and compromised impartiality of the entire electoral process. As a key position in Malawi’s electoral process, the MEC Chair must demonstrate unquestionable neutrality beyond reasonable doubt. We have known Justice Anabel Mtalimanja as a woman of impeccable character and integrity. But in view of her direct connection with MCP, we strongly feel she is not suited for the position of MEC chair, let alone to manage our electoral process. With this inevitable degree of conflict of interest and her political partiality, we demand that she steps down as MEC Chair forthwith.
In a similar vein, the MEC CEO, Mr. Andrew Mpesi is a known MCP functionary. There is ample evidence to this effect. We therefore cannot expect such a person to manage elections with impartiality. It is evident that entrusting such a person with managing the electoral process in the upcoming elections poses a high risk of electoral dispute. With this in mind and to avoid electoral disputes, we demand that the MEC CEO steps down forthwith.
NRB QUESTIONABLE REGISTRATION PROCESS
As parties in the opposition, we have learnt with deep concern of the disparities in the manner NRB are running the registration process where some citizens eligible to vote have not been registered hitherto because of the long distances between the registration centres. Besides, there are instances where their machines have not performed satisfactorily, especially in areas predominantly and agreeably strongholds for the opposition political parties. On the contrary, NRB is ensuring that the registration process in areas predominantly and agreeably MCP strongholds, run smoothly at all times. For instance, and as a result of this man-made disparity, there are so many people who have not registered in places like Namphungo in Mulanje, Luwerezi in Mzimba and Nthalire in Chitipa amongst other areas across the country. We seriously question the inflated figures posted by NRB against districts in the Central region including Lilongwe and Salima among others. The figures being shared by NRB are fake. Their projections and actuals are suspicious. It is strange that both the NRB and MEC can be naïve enough to think that they can fool Malawians by cooking up figures to the benefit of the MCP Government. In this regard we demand that NRB must operate in all MEC registration centers located within 5 kilometers radius across the country for ease of access to all eligible voters, including those with physical challenges. This will ensure that all eligible voters are accommodate as per the requirement of the Republican Constitution.
In summary, as opposition parties, speaking on behalf of the Malawian people, we demand that:-
➢ MEC voter registration process be postponed until all eligible voters who have hitherto been left out are registered,
➢ MEC Chairperson, Justice Anabel Mtalimanja, must step down for conflict of political interest
➢ MEC CEO, Mr. Andrew Mpesi steps down because of his undisputed partisanship and consequently be replaced with an impartial officer.
➢ MEC must use manual transmission of results as opposed to hybrid transmission system.
➢ MEC must allow for the engagement of independent ICT auditors for the 2025 electoral processes
➢ NRB must operate side by side with MEC in all MEC registration centers located within 5 kilometers radius across the country to conduct civil registration to ensure that no single eligible voter is disenfranchised. This will ensure that all eligible voters are accommodated as per the requirement of the Republican Constitution.
➢ MEC must convincingly address these concerns before the commencement of the voters registration exercise.
We also strongly call upon the citizens and the civil society to vigilantly support this noble battle as we all strive to ensure that the forthcoming elections are seen to be credible, free and fair.
CONCLUSION
It is our considered belief that both MEC and NRB will attend to and resolve these crucial matters of national concern with the seriousness, urgency and objectivity they deserve if both these institutions are to sustain the trust upon which they need to run this electoral process. Failure to expeditiously and satisfactorily address all the concerns stated in this statement, will call for peaceful public protests across the country in the best interest of Malawians and our democratic electoral processes.
Signed:
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Hon Linda Limbe, AFORD, Secretary General
Hon Peter Mukhito
Secretary General
DPP
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Hon Patricia Kaliati
Secretary General
UTM
Hon Genarino Lemani, UDF Secretary General
Dated this 15th day of October, 2024
