Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has warned politicians against making premature declarations of victory in the September 16 General Election, saying such conduct can erode public trust amid tallying of presidential election results.
MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja made the appeal at the National Tally Centre at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe last night when she gave the commission’s 11th update on retrieval of results and partial declaration of results for the presidential election.
“We urge all leaders, political parties and stakeholders to exercise maximum responsibility in their communications. We appeal to you to be factual, to rely on verified information and to avoid inflaming the situation by projecting unverified claims,” she said.
Mtalimanja, a judge of the High Court of Malawi, warned that misinformation, besides misleading the public, also undermines confidence in the electoral process and threatens national peace.
“Let me reassure the nation that the commission is operating strictly within the law and is committed to transparency at every stage. No figure is published unless it has been checked and confirmed through established procedures,” she said.
Mtalimanja’s appeal came hours after Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential running mate Vitumbiko Mumba and publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila declared that their party’s candidate had won and accused Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of vote fraud.
Last week, Chisankho Watch chairperson Bishop Gilford Matonga also warned parties against making victory claims, saying such utterances have the potential to shape public perception on the expected poll outcome.
During last night’s briefing, Mtalimanja announced presidential election results from Chitipa, Rumphi, Mulanje and Mzuzu City, binging the total number of councils determined to 13 out of 36.
An aggregation of the results shows that DPP presidential candidate and the country’s former president Peter Mutharika is building a commanding lead with 502 181 votes, more than double Chakwera’s 210 137 votes.
To date, the electoral body has determined presidential election results from Neno, Salima, Ntchisi, Zomba City, Karonga Town, Likoma, Kasungu Municipality, Luchenza Municipality, Mwanza, Chitipa, Rumphi, Mulanje and Mzuzu City.
Mutharika led in the four councils announced yesterday and was trailed by Chakwera.
In Chitipa, Mutharika scooped 35 827 votes against 13 936 for Chakwera while in Rumphi it was a close tie with Mutharika getting 29 957 of the 66 592 total valid votes and Chakwera amassing 24 486 votes while UTM Party candidate Dalitso Kabambe finished third with 6 627 votes.
Mulanje, one of the districts regarded as DPP stronghold, gave Mutharika the biggest push with 207 596 votes from 226 512 total valid votes. Here, Mutharika was trailed by People’s Development Party presidential candidate Kondwani Nankhumwa, who comes from the district, with 6 777 votes. On the other hand, Vice-President Michael Usi, who also comes from Mulanje and was Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu torchbearer got 375 votes.
Chakwera finished third in Mulanje with 3 195 votes followed by United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Atupele Muluzi with 2 923 votes and Kabambe with 2 579 votes.
Mzuzu City had 76 629 registered voters out of whom 56 776 turned up and they gave Mutharika 25 077 votes against 15 013 for Chakwera while Kabambe received 12 782 and former president Joyce Banda representing People’s Party had 1 078 votes.
Mtalimanja said that as of 8pm yesterday, all 229 constituencies had transmitted their results into the Results Management System while 35 of 36 councils had delivered to the national tally centre, with only Mangochi still outstanding.
She also stressed on proper channels for handling electoral complaints, urging parties and candidates to avoid informal submissions such as through WhatsApp or social media messages.
“No genuine complaint submitted through the proper channels will be ignored. The commission remains committed to fairness, transparency, and adherence to the law in handling all matters brought before it,” said Mtalimanja.
Earlier in the day, Mumba held a press conference during which he implicitly linked the DPP to several allegations bordering on fraud, including results manipulation across the country.
Mumba claimed the MCP is the rightful winner of the poll and repeatedly uttered the phrase: ‘We got this’.
Within minutes of the MCP presser, DPP vice-president responsible for the Central Region Alfred Gangata and other senior officials also held their own media briefing where they expressed confidence in MEC’s handling of the electoral process.
Meanwhile, in Blantyre City and surrounding districts hundreds of people took to the streets last night to celebrate Mutharika’s purported victory.
But responding to a journalist’s question on the matter, Mtalimanja asked for patience, saying: “Allow the commission to complete its work in accordance with the Constitution and the electoral laws. In the end, the true will of the people will be declared openly and lawfully. This is the best way to safeguard our democracy and preserve peace for the benefit of every Malawian.”
The MEC chairperson also stressed that no figure is published unless it has been checked and confirmed through established procedures in the presence of monitors and observers.
