Prominent businessman and DPP stalwart Mike Ben Chitenje, also known as Bangwe 1, is set to return home today from South Africa, where he spent a week-long vacation with his wife. Upon his arrival, Chitenje will kick-start his political campaign tour in support of DPP presidential candidate, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, ahead of the September 16 polls. Before his departure, Chitenje demonstrated his commitment to the party by donating materials to DPP Shadow MPs in the Southern and Northern regions. He also paid a courtesy call to Prof. Mutharika earlier last month, further solidifying his dedication to the party’s cause.

A letter from Chisankho Watch requesting access to the preliminary as well as most updated copy of the 2025 voters roll, disaggregated by polling center, with each voter’s name, date of birth, sex, residence, national ID number, proof of registration number (26 digits), and registration date (as well as any other data) in an analyzable electronic format. Response of the Commission to the request which is premised on sections 20 and 21 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act which provides as follows: 20. A voter’s register shall be available for inspection during working hours at the offices of the Commission or at any place as the Commission may determine. 21.—(1) The Commission shall open for inspection the voters register, for purposes of verifying the entries therein, by voters, representatives of political parties, independent candidates and observers. (2) The Commission shall cause to be posted a copy of the voters register for each registration centre at the registration centre where the registration took place for a period not exceeding seven days, as the Commission may determine. The Commission is sharing the above communications and decisions as one way of enhancing transparency and ensuring that the public is fully informed of how stakeholder concerns are being addressed in accordance with the law, established procedures, and the Commission’s commitment to credible and inclusive elections.

As Malawi grapples with a deepening economic crisis, with citizens struggling to make ends meet, civil servants and security agencies pleading for salary increases, and hospitals running out of essential medicines. The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has announced plans to pay MK666 million in nomination fees for its parliamentary and local government candidates, this publication can reveal. According to a private communication seen by this publication, the party will cover fees for all its candidates contesting in the 2025 elections. The message reads: “Good afternoon Hon Members, I have some good news. Please take note that the Party will pay nomination fees for ALL its candidates at all contested levels. The Secretariat will make further administrative announcements.” The breakdown of the fees is as follows: MK2.5 million for each of the 228 parliamentary aspirants, totaling MK570 million, and MK200,000 for each of the 480 councilor aspirants, totaling MK96 million. This revelation has raised serious questions among citizens and watchdog organizations about the source of these funds, especially given the party’s failure to disclose its financing mechanisms. The timing has added to public outrage, as Malawi’s poverty index has worsened over the past five years, slipping from position 75 to 80 globally despite government promises of economic reform. Critics argue that the MCP’s financial decision is tone-deaf in a country burdened by corruption, poor economic management, and growing inequality. Several scandals have rocked the Chakwera administration, involving alleged siphoning of public funds. Yet, no significant action has been taken against those implicated. In a further blow to confidence in the government, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently cancelled its credit facility for Malawi, citing concerns over financial mismanagement, policy failures, and persistent corruption. The MCP’s move has left many Malawians shocked and demanding accountability. In a climate where most citizens are suffering and public services are deteriorating, the party’s ability to mobilize such significant resources has intensified calls for transparency and independent audits.

The UTM President Dr Dalitso Kabambe has publicly apologized to the widow of the late vice president Right Hon Dr Saulos Kalus Chilima and his entire family for what he described as ” wrong decision” for staying away from the launch of The Chilima Foundation recently. Recently our NEC met to reflect on the decision to snub the launch and we unanimously admitted that we errored and we have resolved never to abandon our late president’s family, said Dalitso Kabambe. Kabambe made the remarks on Tuesday 10, 2025 at Nsipe in Ntcheu district during the First Memorial Anniversary of the late Chilima and 9 others who perished in a plane crash on 10 June, 2024 in Nthungwa Forest in NkhataBay district But the first memorial anniversary was never short of drama as the government held a parallel commemoration in Chikangawa near the scene of the plane crash while the family as well as the party which Chilima led held theirs at Nsipe, Ntcheu. All the country’s major opposition political parties were represented at Nsipe by their secretary generals or vice presidents. All the parties also rubbished the final June 10 plane disaster report and called for fresh investigations after September 16 election to find those culpable.

Lilongwe High Court Justice, Halord Pemba has granted an interlocutory injection to 2019 Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika running mate, Everton Chimulirenji, restraining the Democratic Progressive Party-DPP from conducting another primary elections in Ntcheu North West constituency. This follows the order by the party politburo to nullify the primary elections results citing “very serious irregularities that may have stained the polling results” against former MEC Chairperson, Justice Dr Jane Ansah SC, Justice of Appeal Emeritus. The DPP conducted primaries for the constituency on April 12, 2025, in which Chimulirenji was declared the winner. But it transpired that Jane Ansah lodged a series of accusations against him to the party and the party decided to have a rematch and went on to nullify the outcome of the polls. The party through, Jean Mathanga, who is the Director of Elections announced that the re-run will happen on June, 11, 2025. This didn’t go down well with Chimulirenji who through his lawyers, Chimowa and Company decided to get an injunction stopping the party from conducting primary elections again.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ) legislator for Blantyre City South East, Hon. Sameer Suleman, has expressed disappointment over the lack of government ministers representing Blantyre, saying the situation is very pathetic in a democratic nation. He made the remarks at a DPP political rally held yesterday at Bangwe-Desert ground in Blantyre. Suleman said if the DPP wins the next election, they will hold President Lazarus Chakwera and his entire cabinet accountable. He accused the current government ministers of embezzlement and claimed they are obstructing arrest warrants.

Member of Parliament(MP ) for Rumphi East, Kamlepo Kalua, has expressed readiness to apologize to the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) over remarks he previously made, alleging that the party received K5 billion from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to join its political alliance. Kalua told us in an interview that his decision to offer an apology stems from a place of humanity and a desire to promote unity within the country. This comes after AFORD gave Kalua a seven-day ultimatum to either present concrete evidence for his claims or publicly retract and apologize.

The former governing Democratic Progressive Party says it is ready to lead mass demonstrations against MEC’s rejection of ICT audit some opposition political parties had requested and it’s insistence of the use of Election Management Devices (EMD) in the 2025 election. The warning was sounded by DPP Vice President for the Southern Region Hon. Joseph Mwanamvekha during a rally the party held over the weekend at Desert Ground in Bangwe Township. There are unprecedented loud calls from opposition parties for ICT audit ahead of the September 16 polls but MEC remain stiff-necked. Apart from DPP, two other opposition parties Aford and UDF have also raised serious concerns over the same issue. The former finance minister lambasted the government for its bad economic management which has resulted in acute shortage of forex thereby impacting negatively on the performance of the private sector. Mwanamveka outlined DPP’s first mammoth task when the party returns to power, revitalizing the economy, revamping Admarc and NFRA are among the priorities. Mwanamveka said devaluation of the Kwacha brings more misery to the citizenry and it has never bitten a solution anywhere in the world, this was in reference to last year’s 44% devaluation which the Reserve Bank implemented which has brought profound suffering to Malawians. Asked by reporters about the healthy of DPP leader Prof Arthur Peter Mutharika, Mwanamveka denied rumors that Mutharika is sick and said the former president is in robust healthy. “Those spreading the rumor are afraid of Mutharika because he is the front runner in the presidential race”- Mwanamveka added. He also says APM Is Alive, Well and fit to be DPP or Alliance Torch Bearer. The rally was well attended and DPP senior officials in the southern region, shadow MPs and Councilors were in attendance.

The so called Msundwe Barracks Cadres that killed a police officer Imedi, hack with panga knives, harass and beat supporters of other political parties in central region during the post election violent demonstration in 2020 continue their violent attacks against members of the opposition DPP in the Region. Reports coming in indicate that there was chaos at Chimbiya where MCP cadres from Msundwe were busy removing DPP flags and this did not go well with people in the area. Though MCP Msundwe cadres were armed with guns, irate people defended themselves and killed one Msundwe Gangster in the process while shouting, “We don’t want Chakwera”. Incidence of political violence is a new normal in the central region where other political parties are not allowed to operate in the region. There have been a couple of violent incidences that have not been addressed by the police to date. During the 6th Public Affairs Committee Conference which was held in the commercial capital city of Blantyre from the 20th-21st September 2025, participants pleaded with the Malawi Police Service to enhance security which in turn would ensure more public participation in politics and elections The opposition Democratic Progressive Party DPP through its Director of Elections, Commissioner Dr Jean Mathanga asked the Malawi police service to be as much professional as possible in order to repair its damaged reputation and trust. Dr Mathanga also appealed to the police to arrest perpetrators of political violence and devise it’s security plans in those areas deemed political violence hotspots. She pointed out that among the areas identified as political violence hotspots, Lilongwe Central, Nsundwe, Mzuzu, Karonga, Nkhotakota Central and Nsanje Lalanje featured highly and need special attention. When Alliance for Democracy – AFORD was given the floor, the party’s Director of Elections David Brown Katete condemned the Malawi police for carrying out arbitrary arrest of opposition members only while those from the governing Malawi Congress Party go scort free and enjoy police protection. The Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service, madam Merylyne Yolamu said her organization is doing all it can to stem political violence but admits that there are challenges. She said behind every political violence, there are visible and invisible hands and this is what sometimes, delays arrests. MCP under Chakwera sent a good number of youths mostly from Msundwe to be trained in paramilitary activities at Msakataka Police Training School for obvious reasons. Meanwhile, reports indicate that atleast one MCP Msundwe Thug has been killed and 20 others injured in the fracas by people who are chanting; “Chakwera Must Go”. The victims are receiving medical attention at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. Publicity Secretary for MCP, Jessie Kabwila says, she is suspecting that DPP members are the ones who have injured members of the Malawi Congress Party MCP who attacked innocent people attending a rally organized by DPP Vice President for the Centre, Hon. Alfred Gangata. Details of the story will be covered in our subsequent reports.