Campaign Season Kicks Off in Malawi Ahead of Crucial 16 September Polls
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) launched the
official campaign period for the 2025 General Election on 14 July 2025 at the
Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe under the theme Promoting Democratic Leadership Through Your
Vote. This theme calls for everyone to take up responsibility to help
advance the democracy of the nation through voting.
The launch is a milestone in Malawi’s electoral calendar
that has set the stage for a closely watched democratic process in the
country’s political history following months of voter registration, primary
elections, and collection of nomination papers. What we haven’t seen yet, are
alliances to increase the winning opportunities following the 50+1 rule which
seems a difficult feat for a single party to navigate. With the launch of the
campaign period, parties are now expected to roll out manifestos, engage in
debates, and outline their vision for Malawi’s future.
A Call for Peaceful, Inclusive,
and Transparent Campaigning
As the campaign season heats up, stakeholders including
civil society, faith groups, media, and the international community have called
for peaceful, inclusive, and transparent political engagement. During the
launch, MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja urged all candidates
and political parties to adhere strictly to the Electoral Code of Conduct,
avoid hate speech, and respect the rights of other contestants.
“This election belongs to
Malawians. We call on all political actors to campaign responsibly, respecting
diversity of opinion. All political players should prioritise issue-based
campaign.” said Mtalimanja.
The MEC Chairperson added that the commission also called
for the participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in
electoral processes, as their voices help create representation and inclusiveness.
The Odds- Shifting Political Landscape
The 2025 election comes at a time when the country
is facing serious challenges including corruption, unemployment, and the rising
cost of living among others. Malawians are expecting political parties to
articulate concrete solutions to these issues while demonstrating their eagerness
to lead the country to economic recovery with integrity and accountability for
the next five years.
The 50+1 majority required to win the presidency is
a huge dilemma as at the current stake no political party would achieve it. This
is drawing widespread attention as Malawians anticipate political alliances aimed
at securing the majority of votes. The case of the Tonse Alliance will be
examined depth and wide before these alliances are formed.
There is also a growing curiosity over who the
presidential candidates from the major parties such as the DPP and MCP will
select as their running mates. The selection of running mates are mostly aimed
at wooing voters from specific quarters, it’s no secret that Vice Presidents in
the country are in place only to full fill the constitutions requirement, there
is little to write about the vice presidents apart from being used and dumped.
Young people, a change for a better
Malawi
Malawi’s youth make up the majority of the
population and hold the power to shape the nation’s future. Instead, the
energetic young people continue to be abused by political parties. No political
party is clean in savaging the energy of young people to intimidate and ignite
violence.
During the campaign launch, MEC Chairperson encouraged
young people to exercise their democratic right by participating in political activities
during the campaign to make informed decisions and elect leaders who represent
their interests and aspirations for a better Malawi.
“Young people
should attend political rallies, take time to grab and compare party manifestos
and make informed decisions on who to vote for. Malawi needs young voters who
think critically and vote consciously” She said
The MEC Chairperson advised political parties not
to abuse young people by using them to ignite violence. She highlighted the
Commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, and credible elections.
I urge young people to refrain
from violence, let’s use this campaign period as an opportunity to foster
unity, promote peace, and advance constructive national development through
this election.” She said.
Role of the Media and
Safeguarding Safety of Journalists
Media outlets and journalists are playing an
important role in helping voters get the information they need by covering
candidates and campaign events. During the launch, 25 media outlets including
community radios broadcasted the event live. The Malawi Electoral Commission
(MEC) also showed how important the media is in spreading election messages to
reach more people.
MCM Executive Director, Moses Kaufa, while
commending the work that journalists are doing in election coverage, has reminded
the media of the code of conduct for election reporting which emphasizes on
providing balanced coverage for all political players
“The media should adhere to the
code of conduct for elections reporting by covering all political parties and
candidates, not just the major ones, they should refrain from political driven
reporting.” Said
Kaufa
Kaufa also called on creating safer environments
for journalists to operate without fear and intimidation which he said is becoming
a growing concern in Malawi. He called for urgent and coordinated efforts with
stakeholders including Malawi Police to ensure the safety and protection of
journalists during the elections period.
Kaufa also warned media outlets to conduct risk
assessment before deploying their reporters to cover electoral activities especially
in areas the Malawi Police has identified as hotspots for potential electoral violence.
“Media houses and journalists
should ensure about their safety during the campaign period, it is important
that they assess situations when covering electoral activities, most
importantly they should align themselves with security personnel present at the
scene for safety guidance” Kaufa said.
In a presentation made at the launch of the
campaign, Malawi Police reported a risk and threat assessment carried out ahead
of the campaign period, identifying some areas across the country as hotspots
for potential electoral violence. Among the high-risk areas mentioned is Lilongwe
City particularly in Nsundwe and Kaphiri.
What’s next?
With exactly two months until voting day, the
spotlight is now on the conduct of political campaigns. In the coming weeks
party candidates will be presenting their nomination papers. 18 presidential
candidates have collected nominations papers according to the Malawi Electoral
Commission by the time of this writing. The party manifestos crafted as blue
prints for a better Malawi will be presented to Malawians as they prepare to go
to the polls on 16 September, all eyes will be on the presidential candidates
and their messages, and what they hold for the future of Malawi.
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