Mtendere Elections Support Network has asked Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to strengthen its technology back up, noting that while biometric technology used in this year’s general election was useful, it remains a double-edged sword.
The network’s chairperson Maynard Nyirenda said this at a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday aimed at disseminating observations that technical hitches, especially on the Biometric Voter Verification Identification Device (BVVID) machines, delayed the commencement of voting in a number of polling stations on Tuesday.
He observed that without adequate backup, reliance on machines alone risks undermining confidence in the electoral process.
Said Nyirenda: “At Nkhorongo CDSS [in Mzuzu], polling had to be suspended for nearly 40 minutes as presiding officers tried to reboot malfunctioning kits. In most cases, officials reverted to manual verification, enabling voting to proceed.”
He said while this flexibility safeguarded voters’ rights, it also revealed the vulnerability of relying heavily on technology in contexts with limited technical backup.
“It highlights the need for stronger contingency planning, including pre-testing of equipment and rapid response technical teams,” said Nyirenda.
The network further noted that at least 19.2 percent of polling stations, including Mponela 2 School in Dowa, Dedza Post Office, St. Theresa Primary School and Senga Bay in Salima failed to open at 6am start time.
However, Nyirenda acknowledged that MEC acted within its mandate by extending voting hours to ensure that those who had been delayed were given a chance to vote.
Common failures included fingerprint readers failing to capture data, missing names from the voters’ roll, and machines shutting down unexpectedly.
The network said by close of voting it had documented a total of 58 elections related incidents ranging from technical issues with Biometric gadgets, late opening of polling centres, ineffective voter procedures and campaign related violence.
In a separate media briefing at the main tally centre at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja acknowledged similar challenges but said the commission quickly responded.
“During the voting period we encountered some challenges but our teams were responsive enough and those issues were resolved,” she said.
Several groups, including the international community, are observing the 2025 elections and providing periodic assessments to the public.
