Malawi: Malawi Climbs Global Electoral Integrity Rankings After 10-Point Improvement

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Nyasa Times report dated 24 July 2026, reported that Malawi’s electoral credibility rating has improved sharply after the 2025 General Election. Citing the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), the report said the country’s score on the Perceptions of Electoral Integrity (PEI) Index rose by 10 points, from 59 in 2025 to 69 in 2026.

According to the MEC, the increase placed Malawi among five countries with the largest gains in electoral integrity worldwide, together with the Philippines, Poland, Gabon and Egypt. The PEI Index, produced by the Electoral Integrity Project, assesses elections through expert evaluations of areas such as electoral law, voter registration, campaigning, media environment, polling, counting, results handling and the work of election management bodies.

The commission welcomed the improved score as a sign that multiple institutions and participants contributed to stronger electoral processes. It credited political parties, candidates, civil society, media, security agencies, development partners, the courts and voters, while emphasizing that credible elections depend on shared responsibility rather than the electoral body alone.

MEC also cautioned that the ranking is not an endpoint. It said independent assessments such as PEI help benchmark Malawi against international standards and identify weaknesses. The commission said it would continue acting on post-election review recommendations, build institutional capacity, support innovation and maintain transparency and professionalism in future election management.