President Lazarus Chakwera has appointed Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas) lecturer in telecommunications Mayamiko Nkoloma as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner.
The appointment follows a recommendation by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Nkoloma is managing director of iMoSyS, an information and communications technology (ICT) company.
Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said in a statement on Friday his appointment is effective July 24 2025.
Chakwera has made the appointment under Section 75 (1) of the Constitution and Section 41 (a) of the MEC Act.
Nkoloma replaces Francis Kasaila who resigned in April this year to contest in parliamentary elections.
In a written response, Nkoloma said he welcomes his appointment with a deep sense of national responsibility, further describing it as an honour.
He said: “This appointment is not just a personal honour, but a solemn commitment to serve the people of Malawi with integrity, impartiality and dedication.
“As a commissioner, I am particularly mindful of the responsibility I carry towards the youth of this country—to demonstrate that we can rise to the occasion and deliver credible, transparent and inclusive electoral processes that safeguard our democracy.”
Nkoloma’s profile on iMoSyS website shows he has a Master of Science in Wireless Communication from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and a Master of Technology Degree in Advanced Information Technology with specialisation in Telecommunications and Networking from International Institute of Information and Technology in Pune, India.
He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mubas, formerly known as The Polytechnic. He also boasts of numerous local and international awards, among others, by the ICT Association of Malawi (Ictam) for being innovative by applying ICT in the field of technology.
Nkoloma recently also received a national innovation award in science and technology and in 2017, he received an award from the International Telecommunication Union for providing and promoting innovative ICT solutions with social impact.
Prior to Nkoloma’s appointment, DPP recommended ICT professional George Somanje, a move that sparked controversy after a leaked letter from National Council for Higher Education put a dent on his academic credentials.
The letter from the council to the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) legal adviser Chizaso Nyirongo alleged that Somanje’s purported Bachelor of Science in Computer Science credentials from University of South Africa in June 1994 were bogus.
Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum chairperson Benedicto Kondowe said in an earlier interview that there were no legal implications for not having the remaining commissioner since Section 75 (1) of the Constitution stipulates not fewer than four commissioners, excluding the chairperson.
But Centre for Multiparty Democracy executive director Boniface Chibwana said politically it is important to have equal numbers of MEC commissioners to balance decision−making and machinations.
