MEC accredits 19 international observers and 40 locals for September 16 general election

* Include African Union Commission, COMESA, UN Women, Southern Africa Election Support Network, SADC Electoral Commissions Forum, British High Commission, European Union

* A briefing and certificate presentation session for all accredited observers will be held on Tuesday, September 2 at BICC in Lilongwe

By Duncan Mlanjira

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) notifies the public that it has completed the accreditation of election observers for the September 16, 2025 General Election — in accordance with Section 103 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections (PPLGE) Act.

This follows applications that were duly submitted by various organisations and individuals and among the 40 local observers, 19 are from stakeholder international community.

The international observers include African Union Commission, COMESA, European Union, UN Women, Southern Africa Election Support Network, SADC Electoral Commissions Forum, High Commissions of Britain, South Africa, Mozambique; and Embassies of Ireland, Japan and Royal Norwegian Government.

Others are Blue Earth Institution, Dipendra Kandel Initiative, Human Vertus, National Democratic Institute, NCA-DCA Malawi, Queen Mary University of London and TDGHR.

The list of local observers includes Centre for Democracy & Elections, Centre for Human Rights & Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre For Multiparty Democracy, Centre for Social Research-University of Malawi, Chisankho Watch, Catholic Commissions for Justice & Peace-Karonga and Dedza Dioceses, Church & Society-CCAP Blantyre and Nkhoma Synods, Council for Non-Governmental Organisations In Malawi (CONGOMA).

The others are Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Malawi Law Society, Malawi Human Rights Commission, National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust, Malawi Council of Churches, Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN), Oxfam-Malawi, Pan-African Civic Educators Network (Pacenet), Active Youth Initiative For Social Enhancement (AYISE).

As well as Caring for Persons with Disabilities (CAPDI), Mtendere Elections Support Network, NGO Gender Coordination Network, Political Science Association, ARETE/African Women Leaders Forum, Blue Earth Institution, Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum (CSEIF), Coalition for the Empowerment of Women and Girls (CEWAG), Concerned Youth Organization (CYO), Defum Human Rights Association, Democracy Works Foundation.

Also on the list are ICT Association of Malawi, Independent Complaints Commission, Tamva Friends of the Deaf, Tikondane Positive Living Support Organisation, Tsogolo Lowala Deaf Group, University of Livingstonia, Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Wolrec), Youth Action Campaign, Youth Watch Society and Caesar Kondowe as independent local observer.

The statement from MEC Director of media & public relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa says a briefing and certificate presentation session has been organised for all accredited observers on Tuesday, September 2 in Lilongwe at the Bingu International Convention Centre — “to orient the observers on their roles, responsibilities and the code of conduct they are expected to adhere to while observing the elections”.

All the accredited observers are required to meet their own expenses, including travel, accommodation and meals while attending the briefing and throughout the observation exercise.

Meanwhile, Mwafulirwa also reminds that the deadline for submission of names of party and candidate representatives is Sunday, August 31, which should be submitted to the respective MEC district election offices.

Each party and independent candidates are required to submit two representatives per polling station; two per constituency tally centre and two per district tally centre.

MEC emphasises that no photographs are required at the time of submission and that all political parties and candidates “are strongly urged to follow the law that guides who is eligible to serve as a party or candidate representative”.

“Specifically, the law provides that a representative must be a Malawian citizen [and] should not be a candidate in the election,” informs Mwafulirwa, while reminding the stakeholders that MEC will not entertain late submissions “under any circumstances”.

MEC also makes it clear that it does not pay allowances or provide any form of remuneration to party or candidate representatives — as “their participation is solely under the sponsorship of the respective political party or candidate who has appointed them”.

The political parties, candidates and their representatives are encouraged to download the code of conduct, handbook for party and candidate representatives and the forms for submitting names from www.mec.org.mw.