By Jones Gadama
The Malawi Electoral Commission is facing fresh scrutiny after a series of controversies, from a disputed airport incident to a sealed warehouse in Lilongwe and the arrest of senior officials, raising questions about transparency and independence under the leadership of Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja.
On August 25, 2026, MEC issued a press release refuting social media reports that Justice Mtalimanja and other senior officials were stopped by Police at Kamuzu International Airport on August 24. MEC said no official was prevented from traveling.
It confirmed that the Chairperson and Deputy Chief Elections Officer [Finance and Administration] were scheduled to attend the ECF-SADC Executive Committee meeting in Mozambique on August 25-27, and were awaiting approval from the Office of the President and Cabinet.
However, the statement left a key question unanswered: Did the officials eventually travel to Mozambique? MEC did not confirm whether the trip went ahead, fueling speculation at a time when public trust in the Commission is already low.
“Verify With Us” But Phones Go Unanswered
In the same release, MEC’s Director of Media and Public Relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa urged the media to verify information before publishing. Media houses dispute that.
“We are professional. We call and send questionnaires to MEC PR daily. They don’t pick up. They don’t respond,” said one Lilongwe editor who asked not to be named.
The gap between MEC’s call for verification and its accessibility has become a running complaint in newsrooms.
Warehouse Sealed, By-Elections Stalled
MEC’s operational problems run deeper. The Commission refused a government executive order to relocate its warehouse from Lilongwe to cheaper government space in Blantyre, arguing it was interference with MEC’s independence.
The standoff escalated when the Lilongwe landlord sealed the warehouse over unpaid rent.
The result: MEC says it cannot access materials needed to conduct by-elections in Nsanje and Mangochi.
Critics note the irony — MEC turned down cheaper government accommodation, then asked the same government for funding to pay high Lilongwe rentals while claiming independence.
The relocation battle also went to court after MCP obtained an injunction stopping the move to Blantyre, where MEC was originally based.
Leadership Questions
Justice Mtalimanja is a respected judge. She is also the daughter of the late MCP President John Zenus Ungapake Tembo, whose home district is Dedza in the Central Region.
With MEC headquartered in Lilongwe, also in the Central Region, and with the party that sought the injunction being MCP, observers are asking if there is a conflict of interest. Calls are growing for her to consider her position.
Arrests at Area 6
The pressure intensified on August 26 when Fiscal Police arrested former Chief Elections Officer Andrew Mpesi and four other MEC officials at Area 6. Lawyer Chrispine Ndalama confirmed the arrests.
Sources allege the probe relates to abuse of office, including claims that school fees for Mpesi’s children at Kamuzu Academy and Mount Sinai were paid by MEC for the September term, despite Mpesi having served a 3-month notice and exited in August.
Under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, government says it is trying to “fix the country” and offered to ease MEC’s rental burden. MEC labeled that as interference.
With a sealed warehouse, stalled by-elections, unanswered media queries, and senior staff in police custody, MEC’s credibility is under fire.
Malawians are asking: is the Commission still independent, or is it compromised?
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