By Michael Mmeya

Copyright mwnation

On Tuesday, September 16 2025, Malawians across the country, who came out to exercise their constitutional right to elect leaders who are going to run the country in the next five years are anxiously waiting for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to officially announce the results. Our Staff Writer MICHAEL MMEYA caught up with human rights activist UNDULE MWAKASUNGULA to hear what he makes of the organisation of the General Election and issues prevailing on the ground, this far.

Q. There were fears on some aspects of MEC’s organisation of the elections. This far, what is your assessment of the same?

A. For me, MEC deserves a ‘thumbs up’ for how it has managed the elections so far. Of course, it is normal in every election for some stakeholders to express fears, but MEC has demonstrated commitment to fairness and credibility.

Q. How should patience be assured during the eight days MEC is mandated to declare the presidential winner?

A. Patience is very important in this period. Malawians have already shown maturity by remaining calm, even in moments of anxiety. Fake news on social media has been one of the biggest challenges, creating unnecessary expectations. However, MEC’s conduct gives Malawian’s confidence that results will be announced within the legal timeframe. Political leaders should continue urging their supporters to remain calm and wait for official results.

Q .What is your comment on the press conferences that MCP and DPP held on Wednesday at which they both claimed victory?

A. Both MCP and DPP have the right to hold press conferences as part of freedom of expression. But they should censor their information as the same can undermine MEC as the official source of information. No party has the mandate to declare results. It is only MEC who have that authority by law.

Q. Is it in order for political parties to claim victory before MEC announces results?

A. It is not against the law for political parties ‘to claim’ victory. Many parties around the world do the same. Some also have tally centres where they compile results from their monitors. But as indicated earlier, however, they should not replace MEC’s authority to announce official results by law.

Q .What specific roles should political party leaders and other stakeholders play in the tense period of waiting for MEC to announce results?

A .They must continue to call for calm and peace. They should avoid emotional or provocative statements that could raise unnecessary expectations. Stakeholders, such as civil society, media, and religious groups should remind Malawians that peace is more important than politics. The media must spread accurate information and discourage hate speech.

Q .What is your take on the media’s role during these elections?

A. It has done a commendable job in covering the elections across the country. They have helped to keep Malawians informed. However, the media must continue promoting peace, especially during the period of waiting for results . They should avoid sensational reporting and, instead, prepare the people to accept official MEC results.

Q. Based on the unofficial results so far, what is your comment on how Malawians have voted this time around?

A. I do not want to comment on unofficial results. There has been too much fake news and misinformation, which makes it risky to rely on unverified n u m b e r s . What I can say is that Malawians h a v e demonstrated their commitment to democracy by turning out to vote. But my position remains that only MEC’s official results should be trusted.

Q. What is your take on the impact of social media opinionists in terms of disinformation and misinformation during these elections?

A. Social media has had a negative impact during these elections. There has been a lot of disinformation and misinformation. Some people deliberately spread lies to confuse voters and mislead Malawians. This is what forced MCP and DPP to come out and defend their space. If there is chaos after MEC announces the official results, social media will be one of the main causes.

Q. About of the three million of seven million Malawians that registered did not turn up to vote. What do you think has been the cause of this voter apathy?

A. This is a very serious concern. One major reason might beinadequate civic and voter education, partly due to lack of funding for civil society this time around. Many citizens may not have been motivated or informed about the importance of voting. Another factor I see is the change in voting time from 6am to 4pm. Going forward, more effort is needed to increase voter education and to make elections more accessible and meaningful to all Malawians.