Says ”It Could Be Risky” But Based on Wrong Information.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has refused a request made by five opposition parties to let independent experts check or audit the country’s voting system, known as the Election Management System (EMS). The opposition said they wanted the audit to make sure the next elections are free and fair. But MEC said the request was based on false ideas and could cause serious problems.
In a letter sent on 6 June 2025 and signed by MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, the Commission said the opposition’s concerns were not true. They said the parties talked about technical problems that do not exist in Malawi’s election system. MEC believes the request was based on wrong information and misunderstandings about how the system works.
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The five parties that made the request are AFORD, DPP, UDF, PP, and UTM. They said that letting outside experts check the system would help the public trust the election process. But MEC disagreed. It said allowing outsiders to access their systems could be dangerous. According to the Commission, doing so would risk the safety and honesty of the system that handles votes and other important election information.
Justice Mtalimanja explained that any known problems in the voters’ register, such as names that appeared twice or photos that didn’t match names, had already been shown to all political parties in earlier meetings. In May, all parties were given the full list of voters. MEC says no party came back with a formal complaint, which shows the process was fair and transparent.
MEC also reminded everyone that it is protected by the Constitution to work without interference. The Commission warned that if it allowed an audit without proper legal reason, it could set a bad example in the future and make it easier for others to try to control or pressure them.
Although MEC said no to the audit, it promised that it will continue checking its own systems internally to make sure everything is working correctly. It said it has proper procedures in place to do this on its own.
This decision has increased tension between MEC and the opposition parties. Many people are now watching closely to see how the Commission will protect the voting process while also working to rebuild public trust. With elections coming up soon in 2025, there is a lot of pressure on MEC to prove that it can run free, fair, and secure elections without outside help.
