Malawi’s revered governance and human rights advocate, Undule Mwakasungula, has urged Malawians to remain calm and maintain their confidence in the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as the body continues to count and verify the votes cast in the September 16, 2025, General Elections.
Mwakasungula has challenged citizens to be vigilant and demand transparency from the pollster, stressing that this is key in avoiding “a repeat of the 2019 elections, which came to be known as the “Tippex elections.”
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He made the sentiments in a statement shared on Monday, in which he is also asking MEC to pay attention to the concerns raised by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) about irregularities in 13 districts.
According to Mwakasungula, for Malawians to trust the outcome, every claim of malpractice must be properly checked.
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“In this waiting period, Malawians have a role to play. The law gives MEC enough time to count and verify all votes, so we must give them the space to finish their work. As we move into the post-election period, unity is what the country needs most. Whoever wins must govern for all Malawians, not only for their supporters,” he emphasized.
“We should avoid a repeat of the 2019 elections, which came to be known as the Tippex elections, where altered tally sheets and widespread irregularities damaged public confidence and forced a costly rerun. Lessons from 2019 must guide us now, so that history does not repeat itself. Lessons from 2019 must guide us now, so that history does not repeat itself,” he said.
Mwakasungula is a renowned Malawian governance, public policy, and human rights advocate. He has played a central role in advancing democracy, civic participation, and development dialogue in Malawi and across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Mwakasungula noted with concern the escalation of misinformation and disinformation surrounding the outcome of the presidential poll, with both Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and MCP declaring that their torchbearers have won.
He warned that spreading rumours or following unofficial announcements could create confusion and tension; hence, he advised political leaders to guide their followers to remain peaceful.
“Civil society must continue civic education, and the media must avoid reporting unverified stories. MEC is the only body that has the legal power to announce results and guide the country through this sensitive period. Until MEC speaks, everything else people hear from other sources is just rumours or fake news that is misleading the nation. This is why Malawians must be very careful and remain calm as we wait for the official results,” he emphasized.
However, he commended Malawians for demonstrating resilience and belief in democracy, as evidenced by a peaceful campaign period.
“But democracy is not only about voting, it is also about protecting the vote, counting it fairly, and announcing results transparently. Interesting that the arrest of eight people suspected of data manipulation shows that the process is not without challenges. Police confirmed that similar investigations are happening in a number of districts. These cases must be taken seriously and concluded quickly so that the truth is known before MEC declares the final results,” he said.
“This is the moment to heal divisions and focus on peace, development and service delivery. Malawi is at a crossroads. We can choose conflict and mistrust, or we can choose patience, respect for the law, and faith in our institutions. The only way forward is for MEC to finish investigations, address concerns, and announce results that truly reflect the will of the people. This is how democracy will survive, and Malawi will move forward,” concluded Mwakasungula.
