The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected a request from key opposition political parties who sought an independent audit of the country’s Electoral Management System (EMS) ahead of September 16, 2025 tripartite elections.
The parties, namely, Alliance for democracy (AFFORD) , Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF) , Peoples Party (PP), and UTM collectively demanded MEC to allow them use an independent information and communications technology ( ICT) auditors to audit scrutinize the EMSs, contending that the move would clear out any fears that MEC’s servers might have been compromised at the time the official voter registration was commencing.
But in response to the request, MEC has cited concerns over system integrity and institutional control as the major reasons to turn down the parties request.
In a three-paged letter addressed to political parties, MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja states that the proposed audit deviated from the normal standard ICT assurance protocols.
Mtamalimanja argued that there is no evidence to warrant an audit, saying the request by the political parties does not indicate any irregularities within the system.
“The submitted scope resembles a structured forensic investigation rather than a professional ICT assurance exercise. Such a process risks compromising system security, undermining institutional control, and weakening the Commission’s ability to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process,” reads the statement in part.
In an interview DPP Secretary General Peter Mukhito said the commision has lost an opportunity to regain the voters trust.
Mukhito said the parties would meet to map the way faward.
He said; ” this is a lost opportunity on the part of Malawi Electoral Commission. We, the opposition, have been raising quite a lot of issues and we believed that these independent auditors could build the lost trust and enhance the credibility of MEC. Unfortunately, MEC has chosen to look on the other side. This is confirming our fears and what we have been saying that MEC’s system is adulterated.
We will sit down as political parties, consult as much as we can and see what we can do next.”
In a separate Interview AFROD spokesperson Amatula Rajab said she would the party would comment yet after meeting it’s co- requestees.
“First of all we need to meet and discuss because we sent the request as parties not AFORD,” She said.
UTM publicity secretary Felix Njawala said described the news as “very unfortunate”.
Njawala said ; “It is very unfortunate that we have to sit here and answer these questions. But we will sit down and see what to do.”
Both UDF spokesperson USuf Mwawa and PP Secretary General Kelvin Chakhame’ s phones could not be reached by the time we went to press.
Reacting to the development, Political commentator Victor Chipofya said the decision was ideological.
He said; ” Political are key players in an election, therefore, they deserve to know how the system is operating. So what MEC has done raises alot of questions as to why they don’t want the system to be checked.”
In march this year, a private investigator, Phillip Zuze, wrote MEC seeking to independently audit MEC’s system to ensure its integrity and reliability with less than six months to the tripartite polls.
In a similar fashion, MEC turned down the demand.
In December 2024, ICT experts also queried MEC’s system for failing to detect double registrants.
The reactions came against the background of the arrest of a voter in Lilongwe who had registered twice.
Previously, MEC came under fresh scrutiny following the missing of names in the preliminary voters register, including that of MEC commissioner Francis Kasaila.
