Secretary Generals of the ruling Malawi Congress Party-MCP and Alliance for Democracy-AFORD , Richard Chimwendo Banda and Limbe have today signaled that their party leaders would be willing to participate in the presidential debate before elections. The two leaders met the Presidential Debates Task Force which is chaired by Golden Matonga on Wednesday, 23 July 2025 in Lilongwe to discuss issues regarding the upcoming debates. In his remarks, Chimwendo Banda expressed hope that President Dr Lazarus Chakwera will be part of the debates but he needed time to consult before giving a definite answer. “I will be back on the President’s participation. He (the President) has attended the two debates in the past, and there is no reason not to attend the debates this year. I am very optimistic he will attend,” said Chimwendo Banda who is also Minister of Local Government Unity and Culture. On her part Linda Limbe, principally agreed to participate in the debates but signaled that her boss has the final authority on the matter. This year’s debates will likely focus on people’s view of the economy, hunger, corruption, Chikangawa Forest plane clash, Women and Youth employment as key issues. UDF and PP have already accepted to be part of the debate.

There are allegations that MCP has spent $289,000 to set up three unofficial election Centers in Nkhotakota, Mchinji, Salima for Vote Rigging proving Prophet Liabunya’s Vision true. After weeks of surveillance, monitoring internet traffic, and gathering intelligence from communication partners, this publication can now confidently reveal that the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), allegedly under the direction of Daud Suleman — the Director General of MACRA — has established three parallel voting centers in the central region districts of Salima, Nkhotakota, and Mchinji. He is working Directly with Richard Chimwendo Banda, Moses Kunkuyu, Script kid Marcfarene Mgwirinji, one guy from Mozambique, one guy based in Balaka, one police officer from Area 30 and others whose identities we will not reveal. These covert centers are already operational, disguised as community support hubs offering various services to local populations. In exchange, the MCP is reportedly collecting biometric and personal data from citizens — data allegedly intended for electoral manipulation. A staggering $289,000 has reportedly been spent to establish and maintain these centers. The facilities are strategically located in remote or under-monitored areas, with hidden access routes linking them to Lilongwe. These routes are reportedly used to transport equipment and data discreetly, avoiding detection. According to the covert operation, below are the identified locations: • Border Village (Mchinji): Situated near the Malawi-Zambia border, approximately around 10.5°S, 33.5°E. This location is hard to reach and reportedly being used to enroll “ghost voters” due to its low visibility and weak oversight. • Rural Health Clinic (Salima): Located in a remote area, approximately 12.9°S, 34.3°E. Operating under the guise of a public health initiative, this center provides free healthcare to those who present identification — which MCP operatives are allegedly using to collect personal and biometric data. • Nkhotakota Community Hall Vicinity: Also near 12.9°S, 34.3°E, this location serves as a training facility and data transfer hub for MCP agents ahead of polls. According to sources, these centers are being operated off-grid — with no telecommunications devices connected to mobile networks or internet services. Instead, they are using analog communication methods. Data collected on-site is stored on USB drives and physically transported to other locations for processing and later to a central point for final transmission. It is alleged that insiders within the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) are involved in the final stages of the operation, where the manipulated data will be integrated into the official election system. Interestingly, this covert operation aligns with earlier claims by controversial prophet Austin Liabunya. The prophet had warned of a plan by some Malawians to override the will of the people during upcoming elections — a vision many dismissed at the time. Further allegations suggest that MCP operatives are also using SS7 protocol exploits, a capability reportedly accessible through MACRA, to interfere with telecommunications and cover their tracks. This unfolding situation raises serious concerns about the integrity of Malawi’s electoral process and calls for immediate investigation and action by relevant authorities.

The Democratic Progressive Party – DPP through its Secretary General, Peter Mukhito has written to President Dr Lazarus Chakwera inquiring why he is not appointing the third DPP nominee, Macford Somanje as his name was also presented together with others. The party has reminded President Dr Lazarus Chakwera about the constitutional requirement for the three to be appointed and by not appointing the other person the president is flouting the laws. The party has since asked for a reason behind the delay. Five years ago, the High Court ruled that the DPP and MCP are required by law to submit three names to the President for appointment.

The ruling Malawi Congress Party-MCP Member of Parliament for Chikwawa South, Illias Abdul Karim has dumped the party and he has since announced that he will stand as an independent candidate in the forthcoming elections. One local online publication broke the story after speaking to him. In his remarks, Karim says looking at the political atmosphere, he has decided to stand as an independent candidate. “Several traditional leaders, business people, women and youths have been asking me to stand on independent tickets because they believe the party has been out of touch with the grassroot and in a democracy you are free to associate with any political grouping of your choice,” said Karim. Last week, reports were rife that Karim who is close relative to Minister of Water and Sanitation, Abida Mia, turned down the offer to join the government as Deputy Minister of Local Government Unity and Culture replacing the late Joyce Chitsulo. On Monday, July 15, 2025, MEC opened the official campaign period.

The Malawi Electoral Commission says vote counting in the 2025 elections will be done manually at each polling station immediately after voting ends. Justice Annabel Mtalimanja MEC chairperson said the counting will follow a specific sequence starting with the Presidential ballot, followed by Parliamentary, and then Local Government elections. For result transmission, the Commission will implement a hybrid system that combines the manual delivery of physical result sheets with the electronic transmission of scanned copies and computer-generated results to the National Tally Centre. According to MEC chairperson, all voting materials like sealed ballot boxes, result forms, and other documents will be safely packed and taken to the Constituency Tally Centres (CTCs). At these centres, the results will be checked, recorded, scanned, and sent to the District and National Tally Centres (DTCs and NTC). At each tally centre, any complaints will be looked into, and all documents will be properly handled. The results will then be signed and given to political party and independent candidate representatives who are there at the time.

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has finalized the voters’ register for the 2025 General Elections, recording a total of 7,203,390 registered voters representing 65.7% of the projected 10,957,490 eligible voters. MEC Chairperson disclosed the figures during a meeting with political party delegates, revealing that 4,114,720 (70.8%) of the registered voters are women, while 3,088,670 (60%) are men. The Commission will publish a disaggregated breakdown of the register including data on youth, persons with disabilities, and first-time voters on its official website by July 14, 2025. Using the voter registration data, MEC will determine the number of polling stations based on a standard ratio of 600 voters per station. The final list of polling centers will be gazetted and shared with electoral stakeholders. With the voters’ register now complete, the Commission is moving closer to finalizing logistical plans for a smooth election process.

Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Nkukuyu has urged the people of Blantyre rural to vote for President Dr Lazarus Chakwera in the forthcoming election. He was speaking at Linjidzi Primary School ground in Lunguzi Village under traditional Authority Lundu, and later at Chilandepa Primary School ground in Senior Traditional Authority, Kapeni. In his remarks, Nkukuyu said that Chakwera has shown that he is a visionary leader who can transform the country into a bright future. “We must vote for a leader who has the strength, vision and energy to change the country’s economic landscape and Chakwera holds those keys,” he said. Nkukuyu is on a whistle stop tour in Blantyre rural drumming up support for Chakwera.

With 60 days to election, President of AFORD Enock Chihana has appointed former aide to the late Professor Bingu Wa Mutharika, Former President of the Republic of Malawi and Karonga South constituency Member of Parliament Rev.Malani Mtonga as his Chief Campaign czar saying Mtonga deserves the appointment owing to his distinguished pedigree and the exemplary leadership he had demonstrated while serving as Chairperson of Presidential Council in the party. In the letter addressed to him, Chihana says the appointment is appropriate, given his impressive acumen in decision making and wise counsel in the national building. Chihana: “We are grateful that you have joined our campaign team. We know you will do your utmost in this new responsibility so we conduct an effective, message – driven campaign leading us to victory in this election. Together, not only can we ensure victory for our party but we shall also move the country along the part of national stability, economic growth and women and youth empowerment. It is our understanding that your appointment to serve is a clarion call not only to the party but also to national duty,” reads part of the letter. Chihana is the only presidential candidate of a major party who has not collected his nomination papers at MEC as speculations continue to indicate that former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika who is also the DPP top candidate is considering him for running mate position. Chihana, a political scientist himself, is the son of late Thom Chakukwa Chihana, the man who is accredited for bringing democracy into the country.

UTM president Dalitso Kabambe has called on the CCAP Blantyre synod and other religious institutions to pray for Malawi saying the nation is at a crossroads as Malawians continue to make ends meet in their daily endeavors. Kabambe made the remarks during prayers for the general elections and CCAP Blantyre Synod’s bi-annual church elections slated for later this year, the church organized in Blantyre. The prayers took on board various political leaders. Kabambe said Malawi’s debt currently standing at K18 trillion shows that Malawi needs urgent solutions. The UTM leader said the election this year has brought Malawi on a decision point to go forward or retrogress. He has since hailed the church for organizing the prayers ahead of the elections. A representative of the women during the prayers, Nellie Nankhumba from Nthawira CCAP, expressed worry with the persistent economic crisis. She pleaded with political leaders to honour the promises made that will develop the nation after the 16 September election.