By Edwin Mauluka
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to managing the September 16, 2025, general election with integrity, professionalism, and transparency.
MEC chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja made the assurance at a press conference in Lilongwe on Sunday night, where she outlined the Commission’s state of preparedness ahead of polling day.
“We appeal to all stakeholders — political parties, candidates, the media, civil society, security agencies, and every citizen — to embrace peace, patience, and responsibility,” urged Mtalimanja. She reminded voters that polling will run from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM, stressing that while voting day is a public holiday, essential service providers should make arrangements to allow their staff to vote.
On preparations, Mtalimanja reported that distribution of ballot papers and other materials from Constituency Tally Centres to polling centres began on Friday, September 12, and was continuing through Sunday, September 14. Staff deployment to polling stations is also underway.
She added that a pre-checking exercise of polling materials will take place on Monday, September 15, to confirm quantities and ensure all items are correct. “Should anomalies be discovered, the Commission will have enough time to correct them before polling day,” she explained. Training for electoral staff will follow immediately after the verification process.
The official campaign period ended on Sunday, September 14, at 6:00 AM. Mtalimanja warned that any form of campaigning beyond this deadline, including rallies, press briefings, loudspeaker vans, campaign songs, and digital media activity, is a violation of the law. MEC will also monitor indirect campaigning such as using worship services, sponsoring tournaments, distributing relief items, or engaging in charity works.
Meanwhile, the Commission welcomed a recent court ruling that cleared the use of Elections Management Devices (EMDs) manufactured by Dutch company Smartmatic. Opposition parties and civil society groups had challenged their use, citing fears of possible rigging, and had also opposed MEC’s decision not to use Biometric Voter Verification/Identification (BVV/I) devices exclusively and to transmit results electronically.
Delivering its ruling on September 11, the court found that MEC’s refusal to allow an external audit was lawful, and clarified that voter identification is not limited to physical means. On results transmission, the court noted that while the law mandates manual transmission, it does not prohibit electronic transmission, provided that both manual and electronic results are reconciled before announcement.
Mtalimanja confirmed that winners in the presidential, parliamentary, and local government races will only be declared once both manual result sheets and electronically transmitted results have been verified.
“The judgment did not place manual results above electronic results,” she emphasized. “In line with the law, official results will be announced only after both sets of data have been tallied.”
She further clarified that registered voters will be identified using BVVI machines and confirmed against the manual register available to party monitors. “If the BVVI fails to recognize a fingerprint, the voter will not be turned away. We will verify using the register and the National ID card,” she said.
