It is less than 130 days before Malawians go to the polls to elect the next President, members of Parliament and ward councilors. As expected, various political parties have hit the road, holding primary elections to choose candidates to represent them in the September 16 General Election. However, the internal elections have hogged more headlines due to the controversies and irregularities than the quality of candidates emerging from the preliminary polls. In this article, National Initiative for Civic Education executive director GRAY KALINDAKAFE* writes how messy primaries hurt the heart of Malawi’s democracy.
Malawi’s primary elections present a striking paradox at the core of the country’s democratic process.
Designed to be transparent and participatory mechanisms where party members freely choose their candidates, the primaries often unfold amid secrecy, manipulation and controversies that deepen the democratic deficit.
The 2019 general elections offer empirical evidence of how unfair primaries can distort political competition and reshape the electoral landscape, notably through the surge of independent candidates.
This phenomenon that can be viewed both positively and negatively for Malawi’s democratic growth.
Controversies surrounding the handling of primaries in the country are widespread and persistent, with some camps accusing party leaders of favouritism and others destroying the ballots in protest to some perceived irregularities.
As Malawi prepares for the 2025 elections, several aspirants on both the governing and opposition sides have openly challenged the fairness of primaries in the constituencies, alleging inflated voter rolls, fake delegates casting ballots and vote counts exceeding registered voters.
Some aspirants have described the primary elections as a scam where party structures were ignored and legitimate voters excluded.
Such irregularities reflect a broader pattern where party elites or local power brokers manipulate outcomes, sidelining grassroots voices and undermining the democratic ideal of inclusivity and fairness.
Secrecy compounds these controversies.
Malawi’s electoral laws do not regulate internal party primaries, leaving candidate selection largely unmonitored, opaque and at the mercy of the dictates of the leaders they cannot trust anymore.
This lack of legal framework allows party leaderships to conduct primaries behind closed doors, often favouring loyalists or those with financial muscle.
The distribution of cash, resources and campaign materials is a common feature, skewing competition in favor of well-connected aspirants and reinforcing patronage networks rather than merit-based selection.
The secrecy surrounding delegate lists, voting procedures and result tabulation prevents accountability and fuels suspicion, further eroding trust in the process.
Political manipulation is deeply entrenched in this environment.
Primaries often become contests of influence rather than genuine competition.
Candidates with access to party machinery or financial resources can dominate, while others are sidelined or pushed out.
This manipulation not only disenfranchises party members, but also fuels intra-party tensions and defections.
The 2019 elections vividly illustrated this: Many aggrieved aspirants, denied fair nominations, ran as independent candidates, resulting in an unprecedented number of independents on the ballot.
This fragmentation reflects the failure of parties to manage their internal democracy and the broader democratic deficit it creates.
The democratic deficit arising from unfair primaries manifests in weakened political parties, voter disillusionment and electoral volatility. When candidates are imposed or emerge from rigged processes, public confidence wanes, and political fragmentation intensifies.
Independent candidates, while providing alternative choices, often lack the organizational support and policy coherence that parties offer, potentially undermining effective governance.
Yet, the rise of independents can also be interpreted as a form of democratic resilience, with citizens and politicians refusing to be silenced by flawed party processes and seeking alternative avenues for political participation.
Addressing this quagmire requires comprehensive solutions.
First, Malawi urgently needs legal reforms to regulate internal party primaries, ensuring transparency, fairness and accountability.
Clear guidelines on voter eligibility, delegate selection, voting procedures and dispute resolution would reduce manipulation and build trust.
Second, political parties must commit to genuine internal democracy, allowing members to freely choose candidates without interference or coercion.
Third, civil society and media should intensify monitoring of primaries, exposing irregularities and pressuring parties to reform.
Fourth, capacity-building initiatives for party officials and aspirants can promote ethical conduct and reduce reliance on patronage.
Fifth, voter education campaigns should empower party members to demand accountability and participate actively in candidate selection.
Additionally, the enactment of a Primary Elections Bill could provide a robust legal framework to address these challenges.
This law should empower the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to oversee and manage primary elections, ensuring they are conducted transparently and fairly.
Malawi could draw inspiration from Kenya’s Elections (Amendment) Bill. The Kenyan law, one of the political reforms necessitated by the post-election violence that wrecked that country in 2008, mandates the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct and supervise party nominations upon request.
By regulating voter eligibility, delegate selection, voting procedures, and result tabulation, MEC’s involvement would enhance accountability and reduce opportunities for manipulation.
Such a bill would mark a significant step toward institutionalising internal party democracy and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
In conclusion, Malawi’s primary elections reveal a paradox of democratic promise undermined by secrecy, manipulation, and controversy.
The 2019 elections demonstrated the tangible consequences of unfair primaries, with the surge of independent candidates both challenging and complicating democratic growth.
Without legal frameworks and political will to reform candidate selection, Malawi risks perpetuating a cycle of mistrust and fragmentation.
Meaningful reforms, including the enactment of a Primary Elections Bill modelled on Kenya’s approach, are essential to transform primaries into genuine democratic exercises that strengthen parties, enhance political stability, and deepen Malawi’s democratic consolidation ahead of the 2025 elections.
*The author is the executive director of the National Initiative for Civic education (Nice), a public trust formed to entrench democracy and enhance participation in public life.
