International and regional election observers urged Malawi’s authorities to manage vote tallies openly as pressure mounts on the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to release updates from Tuesday’s general elections. The EU’s mission, led by chief observer Lucia Annunziata, and the SADC Electoral Observation Mission said the painstaking results phase should be conducted in a manner that sustains public confidence.
Roughly 7.2 million registered voters chose a president, 229 MPs and local councillors on Sept. 16, in a contest widely viewed as a showdown between incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and former President Peter Mutharika among 17 candidates. Results are legally due within about a week.
With the MEC yet to publish official partial tallies, observer missions and civic groups called for maximum transparency in the collation process and careful communication on delays to avoid speculation. The MEC has appealed for patience amid premature victory claims by rival parties.
Early, unofficial counts carried by some private outlets show Mutharika ahead in parts of the country, though only the MEC can declare results. Observers cautioned that any projections should be treated carefully until verified at national level.
Beyond the horse race, observers and rights groups have framed transparency as essential in an election shaped by economic pain and lingering distrust from past disputes. The EU and SADC missions said their final assessments will evaluate results transmission and announcement procedures alongside the broader conduct of the polls.