Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) will lead the Electoral Commissions Forum of Sadc Countries (ECF-Sadc) Election Observer Mission to Zambia for that country’s August 13 General Election, it has emerged.
MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa said in a statement yesterday that MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja will lead the Malawi delegation.
The observer mission will be deployed from August 5 to 16 to monitor campaign activities, polling, vote counting and the immediate post-election period.
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It will comprise chairpersons, commissioners and senior election officials from 10 ECF-Sadc member electoral commissions; namely, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe, according to the statement.
Mwafulirwa said the appointment reflects the confidence Sadc electoral bodies have in MEC and its contribution to strengthening democratic governance and electoral integrity in the region.
He noted that Mtalimanja, a judge of the High Court of Malawi, also led an ECF-Sadc pre-election assessment mission to Zambia in May to evaluate the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s preparedness and the credibility of the pre-election environment.
In an interview, Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum chairperson Benedicto Kondowe described Malawi’s selection as a vote of confidence in the country’s electoral institutions, saying it follows MEC’s generally credible management of the September 16, 2025 General Election.
On his part, Chisankho Watch board chairperson Bishop Gilford Matonga also welcomed the appointment, saying it demonstrates regional trust in MEC.
He urged the commission to remain impartial and professional while observing the Zambian polls.
The ECF-Sadc, established in 1998, brings together electoral management bodies from 15 Sadc member States to promote credible elections, share best practices and advance electoral reforms across the region.
Zambia goes to the polls on August 13, with President Hakainde Hichilema seeking a second term against 13 other presidential candidates.
