The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has announced that it has closed 88 cases out of the 189 complaints recorded during the September 16 general elections.
Registrar of Political Parties Dr Kizito Tenthani disclosed this on Wednesday during a press conference in Lilongwe, saying the cases were dropped due to insufficient evidence. He emphasised the need for robust civic education to help citizens understand what constitutes a handout under the law.
Dr Tenthani explained that handouts, ranging from cash to material goods, were the most common form of complaints, representing 86 percent of all cases recorded so far.
He further noted that 146 cases were lodged before the elections, while 43 were reported on or after polling day, mostly by ordinary citizens. Out of the 189 complaints, 178 concerned the distribution of handouts, while the remaining 11 involved other violations, such as chiefs disrupting rallies or campaigning at funerals.
“We are planning to intensify civic education and continue to encourage all Malawians to report misconduct and participate actively in safeguarding the integrity of our electoral process,” Dr Tenthani said.
He also stressed the need for political parties to comply with the Political Parties Act, which explicitly prohibits handouts and other inducements.
The press briefing, themed “Party Financing and the Prohibition of Handouts: A Post-Election Analysis,” highlighted the persistent challenge of unlawful inducements in Malawian politics.