Malawi: Malawi Election Chief Calls for Action On Review Findings,Warns Against Complacency

What the report says

Malawi Electoral Commission chair Annabel Mtalimanja is urging electoral stakeholders to act on the findings of the commission’s post-election review, saying democracy should be treated as an ongoing process rather than a single-day event. The remarks were reported by Nyasa Times and distributed by AllAfrica, following a formal review session in Lilongwe of the 2025 general election.

According to the report, the September 2025 vote was widely viewed as peaceful and broadly successful by citizens and international observers. Even so, the review identified institutional, legal and operational weaknesses that officials say need to be addressed if public confidence in future elections is to be maintained. Mtalimanja, who also serves as a judge of the High Court of Malawi, said work for the next election begins long before polling day.

The review’s recommendations include strengthening MEC’s independence, internal performance and accountability, improving oversight of political parties, and tightening coordination among election-related institutions. It also highlighted broader concerns such as lower voter participation, rising campaign costs, misinformation, and the under-representation of women and people with disabilities in elected office. Stakeholders also cited distrust of the commission and hostile campaign rhetoric as problems during the 2025 contest.

The commission said it is already pursuing an electoral-cycle approach, with preparations for the 2030 general election expected to include legal reform, voter registration, civic education, procurement and institutional strengthening. As background, election-cycle planning is a common governance practice in electoral administration, but the specific priorities here were set out in the Malawi review.