Political analysts have called for increased sensitisation for the electorate on processes in the run-up to the September 2025 Tripartite Elections to ensure free, fair and credible election.

They expressed the sentiments in their reactions to a Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) calendar outlining activities on the road to 2025.

In the calendar released at the weekend, MEC indicated a few changes for the 2025 election, including voting time which will still start at 6am, but close at 4pm instead of the previous 6pm.

MEC has also stated that the presidential election results will be announced within one week.

Reads the calendar in part: “Determination and announcement of presidential results will be done from September 17 to 24 2025, while determination and announcement of parliamentary results will be done on September 17 to 30 2025.

A woman casts her ballot in 2020 polls

“Local Government Election results determination and announcement will be done between September 17 and October 7 2025.”

According to the calendar, the elections will be launched in September 2024 with the official campaign period commencing on July 15 2025 and ending on September 14 2025.

Further states the statement: “Voter registration will be conducted in phases from September to December 2024, followed by announcements of new nomination fees in November and applications for voter transfer in February 2025.”

Reacting to the calendar, political analysts Victor Chipofya and Ernest Thindwa said it is obvious that most Malawians are not conversant with the changes; hence the need for more sensitisation to avoid voter apathy.

On the use of the public broadcaster by the governing party for political campaigns disguised as development rallies, Chipofya said it is high time the country developed strong institutions and laws that bar political parties from abusing the public broadcaster.

He said: “Until now, the ruling elites continue to use the State broadcaster as a campaign tool. The country needs to reflect on what really is the problem, and President Lazarus Chakwera to live by his promise to trim his powers and allow MBC to operate independently.”

Thindwa, on the other hand, faulted members of Parliament (MPs) for always complaining about not being granted a level playing field on MBC, but failing to come up with legislation that would address such challenges.

Commenting on the calendar, Malawi Electoral Systems Network (Mesn) publicity secretary Macbain Mkandawire said all the processes outlined in the calendar are legally binding and MEC is simply following the legal process.

He said: “The calendar is out, what we expect now is that different stakeholders will be taking their role to ensure that whatever is in the calendar is delivered to the expectations of the common Malawians.”

Malawi is scheduled to hold presidential, parliamentary and local government elections in September 2025. The last tripartite elections were held in May 2019, but the presidential election of that year was contested, resulting in a presidential election re-run in June 2020. This means sitting parliamentarians and councillors will have served for six years at the time of the next election in 2025.

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