18/09/2025
UPDATE 2025 MALAWI ELECTION'S
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has commended the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for conducting the general elections in an orderly and transparent manner.
Speaking during the preliminary statement in Lilongwe,EU EOM ,Chief Observer, Lucia Annunziata, stressed that the overall conduct of the voting was assessed positively in 99 percent of the 359 polling centers visited by the EU EOM observers.
"After delays in opening, seven of the 40 polling stations observed, opened on time at 6 am and voting proceeded in a peaceful,orderly and transparent manner", she added.
She also observed that voting procedures were largely followed where party and candidate representatives were present in all polling stations.
She,however, noted that counting at 38 polling stations observed was less well organized and less transparent as counting procedures were not always followed.
Head of the European Parliament Delegation,Reinhold Lopatka,also commended candidates for campaigning freely in a largely peaceful environment.
He noted that freedom of assembly,expression and movement were guaranteed and there was good campaign access to different rival party strongholds.
"During the elections campaign, fundamental rights of political participation were respected, well conducted and polling day proceeded generally smoothly despite limited access to resources and absence of campaign finance to some candidates", he added.
He also commended Civil Society Organisations (CSO) such as Chisankho watch, among others, for being deployed in large numbers on election day to provide public scrutiny of the polling and counting that enhance transparency of the process.
