A former commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Anthony John Mukumbwa, has sounded the alarm over growing calls to discredit the electoral body ahead of the 2025 general elections, warning that such moves are not only reckless but a “recipe for disaster.”
Writing under the pen name “Villager Anthony John Mukumbwa,” the former election boss issued what he called “cheap advice” to Malawi’s political players and activists, cautioning that shaking public confidence in MEC could unravel years of hard-earned electoral integrity.
“Let’s preserve the dignity of elections,” Mukumbwa wrote, urging stakeholders to invest in fact-based dialogue and institutional strengthening rather than protest theatrics. “You can demonstrate until you demonstrate no more, but these two [the MEC Chairperson and CEO] can’t be removed by those means,” he said with biting sarcasm, echoing the legal framework that protects top electoral officials from mob justice.
Mukumbwa reminded critics that MEC is not a one-woman show, nor a CEO dictatorship, but a constitutional body run by consensus among seven commissioners — three from the MCP, three from the DPP, and one Chair. “No single commissioner, chair, or CEO can make and implement decisions at MEC alone — that would be illegal,” he clarified. “If MCP or DPP protest against MEC, it’s like slapping your own face. You renewed your commissioners’ contracts; now you want to throw stones at their decisions?”
Referring to recent opposition to the selection of Smartmatic, the company contracted to manage the electronic results transmission, Mukumbwa dismissed fears as misplaced and uninformed. “All commissioners and key electoral stakeholders were involved. This was not some backdoor deal in a smoky room,” he wrote, adding, “What’s the fuss about electronic transmission when the results will already be known at polling stations, signed by all parties and flying on WhatsApp before MEC even speaks?”
He also issued a pointed reminder about the economic cost of politically motivated protests. “If there are issues against MEC, go to court. Protests are extremely disruptive to the economy — remember 2019 and 2020? Or have we already forgotten what we went through?” he wrote, comparing the current hysteria to rewatching an old political horror film, with different actors but the same tired script.
In his piece, Mukumbwa urged parties to redirect their efforts towards “detailed risk assessments” in areas like vote counting, transmission, and result verification, saying this is where genuine electoral protection lies. “Strengthen your monitoring systems at all levels. Not everything needs to end in a demonstration,” he said, invoking a Chichewa proverb: “Mutu umodzi susenza denga” — one head alone cannot carry the roof.
Mukumbwa’s remarks come as rising political tensions threaten to overshadow the build-up to Malawi’s crucial September 2025 elections. With over a dozen presidential candidates already in the race, the political atmosphere is heating up — but Mukumbwa wants facts, not fury, to guide the way.
Whether the political players will take his “cheap advice” remains to be seen — but one thing is certain: the former electoral referee has spoken, and he’s holding no punches.
