MCP raises concerns over election irregularities.

°°°Youth group demands action against electoral fraud.

°°°The people’s voice was heard — Mathanga.

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

The Deputy President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Vitumbiko Mumba has publicly raised serious concerns about alleged irregularities during the recent elections held on September 16, 2025.

Speaking during a press conference in Lilongwe on Sunday 21st September, Mumba opened his remarks with the confident phrase: “We got this,” as he addressed a room full of journalists and party supporters.

According to Mumba, the majority of the ballots categorized as “null and void” appear to have been MCP votes.

He stated that this raises serious questions about possible electoral manipulation.

He further claimed that in some areas, the total number of counted votes exceeds the number of registered voters, suggesting discrepancies that must be addressed by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

“We have strong evidence that something is wrong. We believe some individuals are tampering with the will of the people,” Mumba said.

Mumba went on to allege that MCP election monitors were denied access to vote counting centers in various regions.

In some cases, he said they were even forced to surrender their mobile phones as well as hampering their ability to report or monitor the electoral process.

“This is a deliberate move to block transparency. We demand accountability,” Mumba emphasized.

The MCP has since submitted a formal complaint to MEC, urging the commission to conduct a comprehensive audit of all election results.

Again, the party is now calling on MEC to recount all ballot papers manually, to ensure the integrity of the election process.

Mumba added, “It is ironic and hypocritical that the ruling party is accusing the opposition of rigging the election. This only shows that they no longer have confidence in their own fairness and credibility.”

In her remarks, spokesperson for MCP, Jessie Kabwila has expressed confidence that MCP had already won the election and that the party is simply waiting for MEC to officially announce the results.

“We have no doubt. MCP has won, and Malawians have spoken,” Kabwila declared.

She urged MCP supporters to remain calm and patient saying the party is prepared to accept the official results from MEC provided they are credible and transparent.

Meanwhile, a civic group called Concerned Youth for Credible Elections led by Agape Khombe also held a press conference in Lilongwe to address what they described as rampant electoral malpractice.

Khombe accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of orchestrating election fraud citing the party’s history of alleged malpractice during the 2019 elections.

He criticized the authorities for failing to prosecute DPP officials involved in previous incidents of vote rigging.

“We warned about this in 2019, and now it’s happening again. Because no one was punished then, they feel emboldened now,” Khombe said.

He claimed that in several areas, the number of votes exceeded the number of registered voters, and called on MEC to conduct a manual audit of all votes and cross check physical ballots with digital records.

Khombe further suggested that if the inconsistencies are too serious, MEC should declare the election invalid and call for a fresh vote.

The group has also appealed to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to investigate and sanction any party found guilty of electoral misconduct.

“Malawians deserve free, fair, and credible elections. This is the foundation of our democracy,” said Khombe.

In response to these allegations, Jean Mathanga, the DPP’s Director of Elections, defended the party’s conduct and said the election was fair and secure.

She claimed that the DPP has copies of polling station results from all across the country, and accused opposition parties of spreading false information to undermine confidence in the process.

“The vote of Malawians was cast on September 16. It must be respected,” Mathanga stated.

She added that minor irregularities are part of every election, but that MEC reviews such issues before making final declarations.

All eyes are now on MEC, as the nation awaits the final results. With rising tensions, calls for transparency and fairness continue to mount from political parties, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens alike.
The credibility of the 2025 Malawi Elections may well depend on how MEC addresses these concerns in the coming days.