UK boosts 2025 polls
The United Kingdom (UK) Government has contributed 2 million pounds sterling (about K2.5 billion) towards the Malawi Electoral Support Project (Mesp) to support preparations for free, fair and credible elections in 2025.
The funds are expected to be channelled through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Elections Basket Fund to support the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in its quest to deliver credible elections.
Speaking at the signing ceremony for the contribution arrangement with UNDP in Lilongwe on Monday, British High Commissioner Fiona Ritchie urged government to continue taking all necessary measures to ensure election preparedness, including addressing the large backlog inproducing national identity (ID) cards.
According to the envoy, the national ID card system had significant benefits in the administration of the 2019 Tripartite Elections and 2020 Presidential Elections re-run.
Said Ritchie: “We welcome the recent announcement that the expiry date for the national ID cards will be suspended until January 2026, in line with the commitment made by President [Lazarus] Chakwera in his State of the Nation Address, and we look forward to continued government commitment to printing ID cards for new eligible voters.”
She added that free and fair elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and are vital in ensuring governments deliver effective services to their citizens, that respond to their needs.
In his remarks, UNDP resident representative Shigeki Komatsubara said the basket fund has assisted MEC to, among others, develop key strategic documents, namely the Strategic Plan 2023-2028 and the Elections Operations Plan 2023-2025, which will be launched next month.
He also said Mesp has equipped MEC leadership with technical skills in crucial areas of election preparedness in line with electoral cycle logic.
The UN representative also said plans are underway to engage six civil society organisations to reach out to women, youths and the general public with voter awareness messages.
In an interview on the sidelines of the meeting, MEC chief elections officer Andrew Mpesi said the commission is comfortable with the funds it was allocated in the 2023/24 National Budget.
The commission was allocated K45.95 billion to start initial preparatory processes.
Mpesi observed that the financial assistance from development partners is complementing its budget.
