With six months remaining before the general elections, a private investigator has proposed an independent audit of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) system to ensure its reliability and integrity.
But when asked about the proposal, MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the commission was yet to receive the proposal as of Friday.
The private investigator, Phillip Zuze, in an interview on Friday, allayed fears that he is a pawn of opposition political parties.
He said the proposal is not politically motivated, but a proactive measure to reinforce credibility of the electoral process.
Said Zuze: “Regarding concerns about the credibility of the audit team, my proposal advocates for the inclusion of reputable, [and] independent experts with no political affiliations.
“These professionals would come from recognised institutions with a track record in election monitoring, cyber security and systems auditing.”
In his letter dated March 25 2025 addressed to MEC chief elections officer Andrew Mpesi, Zuze argued that the audit is essential to verify the
integrity, safety and reliability of the system in safeguarding voter information, in particular, inclusion of names and other sensitive data.
He has also argued that the system audit aims to enhance public confidence in the electoral process and safeguard fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed under Malawi’s Constitution.
The private investigator said his legal basis for the proposal is based on Section 40 of Malawi Constitution which states that every citizen has a right to participate in the electoral process, including the right to a free, fair and credible election.
Zuze also cites Section 41 which further guarantees the right to seek, receive and impart information.
Reads the letter: “The Electoral Commission Act, which establishes MEC, emphasises the importance of ensuring a fair, transparent and accountable electoral system. Section 8 of the Act mandates the commission to ensure that all elections are conducted in a manner that upholds principles of democracy and transparency, which includes securing the integrity of the electoral register and system.
“Additionally, the public’s trust in the electoral system is critical to ensuring a peaceful and legitimate election outcome. Allowing independent audits, particularly from private investigators who will act undercover, provides an objective, impartial means of verifying that the system is not compromised.”
The letter further argued that allowing independent audits aligns with the constitutional provisions that guarantee the right of citizens to have access to information related to matters of public importance, including the transparency of the electoral process.
Through the independent system audit, Zuze has stated that it will ensure voter data integrity, confirm system security, audit election procedures and increase public confidence.
“The request to audit MEC’s system through undercover private investigators is not only a step towards ensuring the safety and integrity of the September 2025 elections, but also a crucial measure to uphold public trust in the democratic process. We believe this initiative aligns with the constitutional principles of transparency, accountability and the protection of the right to vote,” further reads the letter.
Sangwani reserved his comment as they have not received Zuze’s communication.
Previously, opposition political parties have collectively demanded MEC to allow them to use independent information and communications technology auditors to audit the system.
The parties contend that the move to audit the system would clear out any fears MEC’s servers would have been compromised at the time the official voter registration was commencing.
But MEC turned down these demands, compelling the parties to threaten court redress.
In December 2024, ICT experts also queried MEC’s system for failing to detect double registrants.
The reactions followed the arrest of a voter in Lilongwe who had registered twice in the voter registration exercise.
The commission has also come under fresh scrutiny following the missing of names in the preliminary voters register.
