The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has officially declared Mr. Lawrence Chaziya, candidate of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), as the duly elected Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Chilobwe Constituency in the 2025 General Election.

The declaration follows confirmation from the Constituency Returning Officer for Lilongwe Chilobwe Constituency in the Lilongwe District Council that Mr. Chaziya was the sole nominated candidate for the parliamentary race in the constituency.

According to MEC, the nomination period for candidates closed without any other aspirant submitting their papers for the parliamentary seat.

Under these circumstances, the law allows the sole nominated candidate to be declared elected unopposed, without the need for a formal vote.

The Commission stated that it had duly endorsed the declaration in line with Section 45 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act, 2023.

This section empowers MEC to declare a candidate duly elected if no other candidate has been nominated for the position by the close of the nomination period.

The official notice, dated 12th August 2025, was signed by MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, confirming that Mr. Chaziya’s election was both uncontested and legitimate under electoral law.

The development means that voters in Lilongwe Chilobwe Constituency will not be going to the polls for a parliamentary vote in the upcoming general elections.

Uncontested elections, while lawful, often raise questions about the level of political competition and voter choice in the democratic process.

They may indicate strong dominance of a particular party in a given area, lack of opposition mobilization, or perceived public satisfaction with the incumbent or party candidate.

However, such scenarios also bring into focus the importance of political inclusivity and the creation of an environment where multiple candidates feel encouraged and supported to contest.

Electoral Laws Review

Section 45 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act provides a clear legal framework for uncontested elections, ensuring efficiency by avoiding unnecessary polling where there is only one candidate.

While this provision saves time and public resources, it can inadvertently reduce the vibrancy of democratic participation if political competition is weak or hindered.

For Malawi’s democracy to flourish, electoral laws should not only accommodate uncontested victories but also promote mechanisms that encourage broader participation, such as reducing nomination barriers, strengthening civic education, and fostering healthy political competition.

A democracy is at its strongest when citizens are presented with real choices, and the electoral framework should ensure that uncontested seats remain an exception rather than a recurring pattern.

Comparative legal commentary on uncontested elections in Africa

Malawi’s Section 45 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act, 2023, is not unique in its approach to uncontested elections.

Many African electoral systems include similar provisions that allow a sole nominated candidate to be declared elected without a formal poll.

In Kenya, Section 55 of the Elections Act, 2011, provides that if, after the close of nominations, only one candidate has been validly nominated, the returning officer shall declare that candidate elected unopposed.

This mirrors Malawi’s approach almost word for word, emphasizing efficiency and cost-saving where competition is absent.

In Zambia, Article 52(6) of the 2016 Constitution states that if there is only one candidate validly nominated for an election, that candidate is declared duly elected and no election is held.

However, Zambia also includes a safeguard—if a candidate dies or withdraws after nomination day but before polling, nominations may be reopened to restore competition.

In South Africa, the framework differs slightly. Under the Electoral Act, uncontested elections are more common in local government ward races than in national or provincial contests, due to the party-list proportional representation system.

Where uncontested ward seats occur, the candidate is declared elected without a poll, similar to Malawi’s system.

In Ghana, Article 47 of the Representation of the People Law and Section 13 of the Public Elections Regulations allow a sole candidate to be declared elected without a vote.

Ghana’s Electoral Commission, however, encourages opposition parties to avoid leaving constituencies uncontested, framing it as a democratic duty to provide voters with a choice.

While these provisions are legally sound, they carry similar democratic implications across countries—uncontested elections can save resources but risk reducing political competition and weakening voter engagement.

The challenge for all these systems, Malawi included, lies in balancing administrative efficiency with the democratic principle of offering genuine electoral choice.

In the African context, a broader reform discussion often focuses on mechanisms to encourage more candidates, such as lowering nomination fees, introducing state funding for political parties, or offering incentives for political diversity in candidate selection.

These measures can help ensure that uncontested seats remain rare and that democracy remains vibrant