LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a press release dated November 5, 2024, the People’s Party (PP) has formally requested an Extra Ordinary Board Meeting for the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), citing multiple concerns regarding the management and transparency of Malawi’s electoral processes ahead of the September 2025 General Elections.

The proposal, penned by PP’s Secretary General and CMD Vice Chairperson Ben Chakhame, highlights six key issues that the party believes, if left unaddressed, could jeopardize the peace and integrity of the upcoming elections.

Firstly, PP’s letter recalls a June 2024 interface meeting where the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) assured political parties that Electronic Management Devices (EMDs) would not be used due to public mistrust, stating the process would be manual.

However, MEC later mentioned adopting a hybrid system combining both manual and electronic methods, creating confusion about its approach.

The People’s Party is urging CMD to discuss MEC’s shift in stance to establish clarity and a unified response on the issue.

Secondly, another pressing concern for the People’s Party is MEC’s failure to disclose the sample size for its pilot voter registration and to ensure that trial data was destroyed transparently.

Despite MEC’s initial commitments, the party claims that stakeholders were not involved in overseeing the destruction of trial data, leaving questions about data integrity.

PP calls for a CMD review to determine whether to trust MEC’s assurances or seek corrective action.

Their, The People’s Party also notes that during the 2019/20 Elections Case, the court permitted applicants access to MEC’s computer servers, setting a precedent for transparency.

However, MEC is now refusing requests to hire external auditors to review the system, citing security concerns.

The PP suggests CMD should deliberate on this matter and advocate for an independent audit to rebuild public trust in MEC’s electronic systems.

Fourthly, following an October 23, 2024, meeting with CMD members and the Malawi Police Service (MPS), in which MPS committed to neutrality and human rights observance, PP alleges that MPS has acted in contradiction to its assurances.

Given the importance of a non-partisan police force in the election process, PP urges a CMD review of this recent engagement before further discussions with MPS to address these issues.

Fifthly, The PP’s letter mentions logistical difficulties in the initial voter registration phase, including fuel shortages, lack of public awareness, and machine failures.

While acknowledging MEC’s decision to extend the registration period, PP suggests CMD should assess the challenges encountered and provide MEC with feedback to improve future phases.

Sixthly and Lastly, PP recommends that CMD, as a major electoral stakeholder, conduct a critical path analysis to identify any potential red flags that could threaten the fairness and credibility of the 2025 General Elections.

Proactively addressing these concerns, PP argues, is essential to ensuring a smooth electoral process that earns the trust and acceptance of all Malawians.

A call for collective action

The People’s Party has circulated the proposal to other political parties within CMD, inviting them to endorse or contribute additional concerns for the meeting agenda.

Emphasizing that addressing these matters is in the public interest, PP hopes the CMD will promptly respond to this call for an Extra Ordinary Board Meeting.

In his closing remarks, Chakhame states, “The party trusts that CMD will find this call in good order and beneficial to all Malawians we represent.”

This initiative reflects PP’s commitment to addressing electoral challenges and promoting a stable and transparent path toward the 2025 General Elections.