Africa-Press – Malawi. In a decisive and strongly worded response, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected a joint demand by five opposition parties to conduct an independent audit of the country’s Election Management System (EMS)—a move that has sparked fresh debate over transparency and trust in electoral processes.
In a letter dated 6 June 2025, signed by Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, MEC described the opposition’s proposal as being based on flawed assumptions, citing technological inaccuracies and non-existent systems within Malawi’s electoral infrastructure.
The parties behind the request—AFORD, DPP, UDF, PP, and UTM—had argued that an external audit was necessary to ensure transparency and public confidence ahead of the next elections. But MEC has dismissed the proposal as misinformed and potentially harmful, stating that it “poses a serious threat to the security and integrity of the Commission’s systems.”
Justice Mtalimanja noted that all known anomalies in the voters’ register, such as duplicate entries and mismatched photos, were already shared with political parties during prior consultations. According to MEC, no party lodged a formal complaint or petition after receiving the full register in May—a point the Commission sees as evidence of due diligence and fairness in its operations.
Significantly, the Commission underscored its constitutional mandate to operate independently, warning that permitting an audit without legal basis could “set a dangerous precedent” that compromises its autonomy.
While MEC has turned down the audit request, it reaffirmed its commitment to transparency by stating that it will continue to conduct internal system checks through established oversight mechanisms.
This rejection puts a spotlight on the growing rift between MEC and opposition blocs, with electoral credibility hanging in the balance. As the 2025 electoral season heats up, all eyes are now on how the Commission balances its mandate to protect system integrity with the need to restore public trust in a politically charged environment.
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