Countdown begins

Exactly two years from today, Malawians will head to the polls to determine whether to maintain President Lazarus Chakwera and his cronies or usher in a new administration.

As people will be voting for their President, members of Parliament and councillors, the 2025 Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Election (PPE) appears to be a historic political event.

Primarily, this is because the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) will for the first time administer the election using the 50-percent-plus-one voting system.

There are also other fresh developments like the bloating of constituencies from 193 to 228, councillors from 462 to 500 and shifting the polling day from May 19 to September 16.

Various key electoral stakeholders including MEC, political parties, political analysts and civil society organisations (CSOs) have varied views on the remaining 24 months which also promise to be a busy period.

MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the commission was already implementing several activities ahead of the PPE.

The commission is currently procuring equipment and materials, carrying public awareness of the new boundaries and electoral laws in readiness for voter registration in September 2024 as everyone will register afresh. 

Mwafulirwa explained MEC would announce new nomination fees in November 2024 while presentation of nomination papers is slated for May 2025 followed by official campaign period from July 15 2025 to September 14 2025.

“The commission has made available to all stakeholders tentative dates for all activities and it is our honest expectation they will start preparing and putting their systems in order to participate in the electoral activities,” he said.

But Mwafulirwa noted each election brings its own new challenges though MEC already has in place good preparatory measures to ensure the elections are better than the previous ones.

“We already have laws in place that have addressed legal challenges faced in past elections but that does not mean a challenge can’t arise.  Electoral challenges tend to mutate, so it will always call on the commission and stakeholders to address them,” he explained.

On the requirement that eligible voters should have the national registration card, Mwafulirwa said the National Registration Bureau is aware of this requirement and will take all appropriate steps and actions to ensure all challenges that are experienced are dealt with and that no one is disenfranchised on the grounds of not possessing proof of national registration.

Elsewhere, general elections have always triggered bloody clashes resulting in, among others, loss of life, destruction of public and private property and people’s internal displacement.

But in Malawi, elections have seen sporadic incidents of violence. Historically, the bloodiest occurrences were experienced in 1999 during the Bakili Muluzi regime when several people lost their lives and property and others fled their homes.

So for Master Dicks Mfune, a peace and security studies specialist from University of Malawi (Unima), peace and unity is already threatened ahead of and during the 2025 election.

“The people had expectations and needs which have not been met so when someone’s needs are not met it’s a source of conflict and that leads to violence.

“The fighting between UTM and Malawi Congress Party [MCP] followers during the opening of the Malawi Bureau of Standards [MBS] office complex in Blantyre is a clear example. That was an early warning.

He said: “In the next 24 months we need impactful strategies to ensure a peaceful election period otherwise indicators are that it will be contentious with numerous fights, burning of property and killing of people.”

As a solution, he suggested political parties should hold their elective conventions earlier than planned to create enough space for reconciliation processes and correct strategies.

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) said while polls are very emotive and is a high-stakes event, they are set to use new approaches, strategies and methodologies to ensure high turnout, reduced null and void votes and peace.

Nice executive director Gray Kalindafe said following general low turn-out of voters in by-elections, they intend to conduct a voter apathy study to inform future approaches to elections and all electoral stakeholders with a view to improving people’s participation. 

He said Nice also intends to use orientation sessions for opinion leaders (traditional, faith, political or ethnic) in all districts because of their multiplier effect. 

“These orientation sessions will be continuous right from the pre-polling, during polling and post-poll periods,” he said.

Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn) publicity secretary MacBain Mkandawire said the success of the 2025 polls hinges on the dedication of all stakeholders to uphold democratic values, adhere to the rule of law, and concerted efforts in establishing an environment where people’s will shall be reflected in the election results.

He said it was imperative for all political parties to ensure they are well-organised and possess a comprehensive understanding of the nation’s needs and their manifestos are aligned with the issues that concern people.

“We are for issue-based politics. Instead of merely participating in the electoral process as a formality, voters should engage in meaningful and informed voting practices,” he said.

Technical specialist for Centre for Democracy and Elections (Cede) Aloisious Nthenda said following MEC’s release of the operational plan the commission must constantly update stakeholders for them to actively participate in the processes.

“We call upon voters to patronise and actively participate in all activities of MEC,’ political parties and civil society so that they are knowledgeable about the electoral process,” he said.

On his part, Viwemi Chavula, team leader for 50:50 Campaign Management Agency said they would want more interaction with voters to appreciate and learn on managing expectations and how their needs could be harnessed during campaign.

“Political parties are a very big player especially the politburo on making and unmaking the inclusive agenda. We expect political will at the highest level in all parties if the numbers are to improve,” he said.

Chavula said the coming party convections are a litmus test as the country will gauge if spaces have been opened up.

“Again, we want to see a different and modern approach of conducting party primaries,” he suggested.

Political and social commentator Victor Chipofya Jnr said the 2025 election poses so many questions leaders need to respond to.

He said: “As a nation is what we see the change we desired in 2020? Does what we are experiencing count as worth the pain we went through as a nation during the 2019 and 2020 national protests? We need to do an introspection to reflect on ourselves.”

The party in government, Malawi Congress Party and main opposition Democratic Progressive Party did not respond to our inquiries about how they will approach the elections.

But UTM publicity secretary Felix Njawala, while not wanting to reveal much about his party’s plans, said the party was currently focusing on energising its base and building structures.

He said during the 24 months there would be a lot of political maneuvering with various politicians trying to position and repositioning themselves. 

For United Democratic Front (UDF) spokesperson Yusuf Mwawa his party is also working on regaining its past glory and strengthening the grassroots.

He said the public should prepare for a very difficult time politically in the next 24 months as the campaign to woo voters intensifies.

Peoples Party (PP), one of the remaining seven political parties in Tonse Alliance, said it would approach the election differently because of the 50+1 electoral system.

“The remaining months will be very interesting to watch as political parties will be aligning themselves to defeat the electoral system,” said PP spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda.

But deputy national publicity secretary for Alliance for Democracy (Aford) Saulos Thindwa said unlike in 2020 when his party contested the polls on the back of Tonse Alliance this time they will go solo.

“We feel we have the political stamina to be on the ballot paper based on the trust people have in us as the only untried party and political solution to the current social economic challenges.”

Unlike the 2019 PPE, for the 2025 polls several key electoral development partners like European Union (EU) and the UK Government have already started unveiling billions of kwacha to support the electoral process.