MEC Secretly Procures Voter Verification Machines Without Stakeholder Approval

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is under fire following revelations that it is procuring 15,000 new electronic machines, estimated between K8 billion and K11 billion from Taiwan. These are allegedly for use on polling day for voter verification—despite such use being prohibited under current electoral laws.

Informed sources within MEC have disclosed to Khulubvi Post that the machines are in addition to the equipment already sourced from the controversial Smartmatic.

The new procurement, shrouded in secrecy, has not been disclosed to political parties, civil society organizations, or the Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN), sparking concerns of deliberate exclusion and a lack of transparency amid widespread voter rigging claims against the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Prominent elections experts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have condemned the move, calling it a “serious violation of the democratic process.”

“We were not consulted. As key stakeholders in the electoral process, we find it unacceptable that MEC is spending billions on machines without informing us or justifying their use,” one UNDP staff member told Khulubvi Post.

Reports suggest that the new devices will be used for voter verification on polling day—a function not permitted by Malawi’s Electoral Act. This has raised alarms over possible attempts to tamper with voter rolls or manipulate vote management systems under the guise of technological upgrades.

Adding to the controversy is the recent, unexplained deployment of MEC’s IT officers to various districts. Anonymous sources within MEC allege that these movements are linked to early preparations for setting up the machines across the country, in anticipation of their use during the next elections.

Civil society organizations have also weighed in, calling the development “a dangerous undermining of democratic accountability.”

MESN’s Executive Director added, “This raises more questions than answers. Transparency is non-negotiable in electoral processes. We demand that MEC halts all procurement and deployment of these machines until an independent investigation is conducted.”

Parliamentary committees, particularly the Legal Affairs and Public Accounts Committees, are reportedly unaware of the procurement. It remains doubtful whether they will summon MEC officials in the coming days to provide clarity on the financing and intended use of the machines.

As of now, MEC has not released any official statement addressing the concerns. Repeated attempts to reach Chairperson Justice Anabel Mtalimanja for comment have been unsuccessful.

Observers warn that unless the issue is addressed swiftly, it could erode public trust in the 2025 elections and trigger wider political tensions.