MEC says Chisankho Watch will boost trust, transparency and credibility of 2025 elections

Malawi Electoral Commission’s (MEC) Commissioner, Dr. Sarah Limbikani Kamlongera, says that the newly established Chisankho Watch consortium will contribute to building a strong level of confidence in the electoral process among Malawians.

Speaking during the launch of the Chisankho Watch in Lilongwe, Kamlongera welcomed the initiative, stating that it would facilitate smoother communication among stakeholders to ensure the accurate dissemination of information regarding electoral processes in the country.

She said that the initiative would enhance collaboration and partnerships with other stakeholders to ensure transparent and credible elections in 2025.

“As Malawi Electoral Commission we have welcomed the development on the basis that it allows partnership and collaboration to work more efficiently and effectively and share responses to easy process of communication when issues come out but also it allows for us to development more confidence in the entire process as we know every stakeholders is watching and interesting in the electoral processes,” said Kamlongera.

Bishop Gilford Matonga, the Chairperson of the Chisankho Watch Board, stressed the need for collective efforts to encourage Malawians to participate in the electoral process, as many have lost trust in it.

Matonga said that Chisankho Watch is expected to play a role in fostering trust, improving processes, and addressing challenges encountered before, during, and after elections.

“We have four institutions that have come together and we have trained observers that are nonpartisan and we have credible institutions that knows how to collect data right from the ground and people that are collecting the data are people that are properly trained to this particular job, so this is a process that trust worthy that people can know that this is group is a group that they can trust and whatever results they come with they are credible results,” he said.

Meanwhile, Electoral Governance Expert, Dr. Henry Chingaipe, revealed that local electoral observers would be crucial in upholding transparency and trust to ensure that electoral procedures are conducted fairly and properly in Malawi.

Chingaipe emphasized that involving local observers would enhance people’s trust in the process, providing voters with confidence that their votes will be counted and any irregularities documented and dealt with by the relevant authorities.

“There is hope our understanding is that Chisankho Watch is a consortium of four organizations and each one of them already have tract records of work in the electoral space so based on what we know about the previous elections i think that the coalition is going to enhance integrity of the electoral process and probably also inspire people to participate in the electoral process.

“We also think that if they do electoral observation very well and they do their analysis and engage with the public through statements and press conferences they are going to add value to the quality of process through their engagement with Malawi Electoral Commission,” said Chingaipe.

The newly established consortium of four organizations the Public Affairs Committee (PAC), the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), the Gender Justice Unit and mHub.

The primary objective of Chisankho Watch is to observe elections in order to enhance the transparency, inclusive and credibility of Malawi’s electoral process, ensuring a fair and peaceful environment.