Francis Kasaila, a former representative of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), has criticized his party and its leaders. He dismissed fears about the Smartmatic system, which is set to manage the upcoming elections, saying these concerns are unfounded and created to lower voter turnout.
Kasaila, who resigned from his position as MEC Commissioner last month, spoke during a service at Ngabu Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Chikwawa and later on Gaka Radio. He encouraged Malawians not to be misled by what he called politically motivated rumors meant to discourage people from voting.
These rumors are just meant to instill fear. Smartmatic is designed to make the voting process more transparent and efficient, not to interfere with the people’s choices,” he stated. He also noted that every registered voter can verify their voting information through their mobile phones before election day, which helps ensure accountability.
In a subtle criticism of DPP leader Peter Mutharika, Kasaila urged voters to choose leaders who genuinely care about national development instead of those who offer handouts for political support.
We should vote for leaders who prioritize the people’s needs. Let’s not be swayed by small gifts like soap and salt,” he said. He also encouraged men in the Shire River Valley to focus on productive activities like irrigation and livestock farming to support their families better.
Kasaila stressed the importance of responsible leadership, both in the Church and in government, explaining that a nation can thrive when it has leaders of integrity. “If the Church raises responsible individuals, the country will progress as well,” he added.
Political analysts and civil society members have criticized the DPP for its ongoing campaign against the Smartmatic system. Sources indicate that the DPP initially attempted to persuade other opposition parties to reject the electronic voting and results transmission system but faced resistance. “It’s only Mutharika and his followers who oppose the Smartmatic system,” commented an analyst who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Victor Kaphale, an elections expert, pointed out that the DPP’s opposition stems more from fear of losing than from genuine concerns about transparency. “Mutharika knows that the Smartmatic system closes the loopholes they used before. They are worried about losing,” Kaphale explained.
There have also been unconfirmed reports of attempted hacking of Smartmatic servers, allegedly linked to individuals connected to the DPP. Kaphale defended the Smartmatic system, saying it is more secure and transparent and includes a paper trail for verification of results. “The claim that it can be manipulated is absurd. Results will still be manually checked,” he emphasized.
Goodson Majamanda, a civil society activist, accused the DPP of paying certain activists and religious groups to support their anti-Smartmatic campaign. Analysts believe the DPP is trying to lay the groundwork to discredit the election results in case they lose.
They want to make the Smartmatic system look bad now, so they can claim it’s suspicious later if they don’t win, – warned political analyst Lyson Sibande.
Some people are concerned about a return to the problematic elections of 2019, where results were tampered with using correction fluid.
Even if the system fails, we have the paper trail to verify results. The DPP desires chaos, a return to the past when they could disguise real figures. Without Smartmatic, there’s no digital backup, and that is what worries them,” Sibande added.
