Malawi remained on edge Friday as the nation awaited official results from the 16 September general elections amid mounting concerns over alleged vote tampering and procedural irregularities.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has yet to release any formal results, citing an ongoing verification process.
However, tensions have escalated as supporters of both incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and opposition leader Peter Mutharika prematurely declared victory on Wednesday, prompting the MEC to issue a public appeal for calm and restraint.
The situation took a contentious turn Thursday night when opposition party representatives raised alarm over the arrival of unsealed boxes containing manual tally sheets and electronic management devices (EMDs) at the national tally centre in Lilongwe.
According to local media, the most serious breach involved 42 of 45 boxes from Nkhata Bay arriving without security seals, while similar issues were reported with boxes from Luchenza municipality and Kasungu.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Transformation Movement (UTM) expressed deep concern over the anomalies, temporarily halting the handover process and demanding explanations from MEC officials.
After tense negotiations, MEC agreed to produce hard copies of the EMD results for party verification, allowing the tallying process to resume.
The commission has pledged to investigate whether the breaches occurred at source or during transit.
DPP’s Mutchanakwaye Mpuluka called the incident “uncalled for,” warning that any discrepancies between official results and party monitors’ records would provoke a strong response.
UTM’s Bright Kawaga echoed the same sentiments, saying the MEC’s failure to uphold basic safeguards risked triggering legal challenges and undermining public trust.
The results arriving at the national tally centre will form the basis of the official outcome.
According to electoral law, presidential results must be announced within eight days of voting, parliamentary results within 14 days and local council outcomes within 21 days.
JN/APA