Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has approved 34 candidates for the June 30 parliamentary and local government by-elections in three constituencies and two local government wards.
MEC will hold parliamentary by-elections in Lilongwe City Bwaila and Machinga Mikoko constituencies and a fresh election in Balaka Mulunguzi Constituency while local government by-elections will be conducted in Uliwa Ward in Karonga South Constituency and Kanjuli Ward in Machinga Central East Constituency.
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is the only party contesting in all the five areas in an election that has seen independent candidates accounting for about 47 percent of the nominations with 16 out of the 34 candidates.
In a statement issued on Friday, MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said five political parties have fielded candidates in the polls.
While DPP is in all the areas, UTM Party is contesting in all three parliamentary races and one ward election while the erstwhile governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has fielded candidates in two constituencies and one ward.
On the other hand, People’s Party has fielded candidates in Machinga Mikoko Constituency and in the two wards while the United Democratic Front is contesting in two constituencies and one ward.
In an interview yesterday, political analyst George Chaima said the limited participation by political parties is not surprising, noting that most of the country’s 24 registered political parties are largely inactive between general elections.
He said some parties only become active during general elections and rarely participate in by-elections.
“To strengthen our democracy, it is necessary that the registered parties should be participating in by-elections,” said Chaima.
In terms of female representation, seven out of the 22 parliamentary candidates are women, representing about 32 percent.
At local government level, two women are contesting out of 12 candidates.
MEC also conducted by-elections on March 17 2026 in which DPP, MCP, UTM Party and an independent each won a parliamentary seat.
In the local government by-elections, DPP won four wards, independent candidates secured three while MCP and Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu took one ward each.
The vacancies in the various areas arose from either deaths of incumbents or court orders nullifying results of the September 16 2025 General Election. In Balaka Bwaila for instance, the court ordered a fresh parliamentary election upon certifying that there were irregularities.
