By Burnett Munthali
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has raised fresh concerns over the integrity and independence of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), just months before the 2025 general elections.
Speaking as the party’s Director of Elections, Honourable Dr. Jean Mathanga strongly criticized MEC for what she described as growing arrogance and failure to operate as an independent public institution.
She expressed deep disappointment that the commission continues to sideline opposition parties, particularly when they request to have their own auditors review the voters’ roll system.
According to Dr. Mathanga, MEC consistently ignores such requests, opting instead to operate in a manner that lacks transparency and inclusiveness.
She lamented that MEC, once respected as an impartial electoral body, is now behaving like an extension of a political party, undermining public trust in the electoral process.
Dr. Mathanga also raised concerns over the use of technology in the electoral process, especially the Smartmatic system adopted by MEC.
She pointed out that, globally, technology is intended to enhance efficiency, not reduce it.
However, she noted with alarm that instead of facilitating a more reliable election process, Smartmatic has contributed to serious irregularities.
She cited the disappearance of voter photographs during the ongoing voter roll verification exercise as one of the glaring technical failures.
Dr. Mathanga concluded by warning that such lapses, if not urgently addressed, could compromise the credibility of the upcoming elections and deepen public mistrust in the democratic process.
Her remarks have added weight to growing criticism against MEC and intensified calls for greater accountability and transparency in the management of Malawi’s electoral affairs.
