In a dramatic twist of events, President Lazarus Chakwera has rescinded the appointment of Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas) telecommunications lecturer Mayamiko Nkoloma as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner.
Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba, in a letter to MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja yesterday, said that the decision is based on the fact that Nkoloma was still a public officer.
Nkoloma’s appointment on July 24 2025 followed a recommendation by opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Reads Zamba’s letter: “…it has come to our attention that Mr. Nkoloma is employed as a full-time lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences [Mubas], a public university established under statute.
“Records confirm that Mr. Nkoloma has been a staff member at Mubas since 10 May 2006 and remains employed in this capacity. Section 75(2) of the Constitution disqualifies individuals holding public office from serving on the commission.”
The said Section 75 (2) states that “a person shall not be qualified to hold the office of a member of the Electoral Commission if that person is a minister, deputy minister, a member of Parliament or a person holding public office”.
Nkoloma did not respond to our queries on the matter, but DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito confirmed the development last evening.
“I am aware of that decision and it’s up to us to present the name of someone who is not a public official. We will do that the soonest and the name will be submitted obviously on Monday [today],” he said.
Nkoloma replaced Francis Kasaila who resigned in April this year to contest in parliamentary elections.
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.
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.
