Nationwide Protests Set as Malawians Demand MEC Leadership Resignation

All Set for Anti-MEC Leadership Demos, Citizens Urged to Defend Democracy

Malawians in Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Mangochi, and Blantyre are expected to hold mass demonstrations today, Thursday, June 26, 2025, calling for the immediate resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja and Chief Elections Officer Andrew Mpesi.

The demonstrations are being spearheaded by the advocacy group Citizens for Credible Elections (CfCE), under the theme “Let’s Preserve Our Democracy by Safeguarding the Integrity of the Electoral Process.”

CfCE claims that the two top MEC officials have lost public confidence and are “too compromised” to oversee the upcoming general elections, scheduled for September 16, 2025. The group argues that their continued stay in office poses a serious threat to the credibility and fairness of the electoral process.

Speaking on the eve of the protests, CfCE National Coordinator Blessings Chinsinga said the demonstrations are a patriotic duty for all Malawians concerned with democratic governance.

“We are not against MEC as an institution, but we strongly believe that the leadership must reflect integrity, neutrality, and public confidence. Unfortunately, both Mtalimanja and Mpesi have failed that test,” said Chinsinga.

He added that the protests are meant to send a strong message that the electoral process belongs to the people, and not to a few individuals serving partisan interests.

Civil society groups, students, and political activists have endorsed the demonstrations, calling for peaceful participation while urging the police to exercise restraint and uphold citizens’ right to protest.

In response to the planned demonstrations, MEC has maintained that it is fully committed to delivering free, fair, and credible elections and has dismissed allegations of bias and incompetence as “unfounded and politically motivated.”

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in all four cities, with authorities monitoring the situation closely to ensure peace and order during the protests.

The demonstrations come just months before one of the most anticipated general elections in Malawi’s democratic history, with tensions rising over preparations and voter trust in electoral institutions.