Police call for robust elections security plan

Malawi Police Service has called for the creation of a national elections security plan which would be central to dealing with security issues ahead of and during the September 16 2025 General Election.

In his contribution during a Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) engagement with district commissioners (DCs) and officers-in-charge (OCs) for the North in Mzuzu on Monday, Northern Region Police Commissioner Richard Luhanga said apart from looking up to OCs, the security plan would be key to secure polls.

He said there is urgent need for consultations among the country’s security agencies, including the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS). He said NIS would be able to inform the police on security threats during the election.

Luhanga recalled a situation in the June 23 2020 court-sanctioned Fresh Presidential Election where conflicting roles emerged between MDF and the police over transportation of electoral materials.

“Who is supposed to take charge? In the end, we gave up on our duty because MDF had logistical advantage,” he said.

“The role of OCs is well articulated in the Police Act. But we should not create confusion between the roles of OCs and the police structure during elections.”

Luhanga was reacting to a query by Nkhata Bay Police OC Isaac Norman who wondered if MEC would ensure that all OCs are provided with the necessary resources to execute their crucial duty.

In an interview after the meeting, Luhanga said the security plan may need to be resourced adequately for the police to effectively discharge their duties. He said they were counting on the elections task force to draw the security plan.

He said: “We lobby for resources from government or donors to support us with implementation.”

Responding to the observations, MEC commissioner Anthony Mukumbwa, who represented MEC chairperson Chifundo Kachale, said it is the electoral security task team that must plan security matters not the commission.

According to Section 115 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act, an OC who fails to assign police officers to keep order at a polling station without justification or willfully neglects his or her duties commits a crime.

Malawi goes to the polls for local government, parliamentary and presidential elections in September 2025.