By Chisomo Phiri

Four opposition parties in parliament, including United Transformation Movement (UTM), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Alliance for Democracy(AFORD) , and United Democratic Front (UDF),have given authorities November 14,2024 a deadline to suspend the 2025 elections registration process due to irregularities.

During a joint press briefing in Lilongwe on Wednesday, the opposition parties threatened to hold demonstrations if their demands are not met.

DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba stated:”We are demanding that registrations must be discontinued within two weeks; otherwise, there will be intense demonstrations.”

DPP’s Jean Mathanga highlighted that phase one of civic and voter education commenced late, which is an anomaly.

She emphasized the need for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to restart the process to ensure equal opportunities for all registrants.

Mathanga stressed:”We want all registrants to have equal opportunities for voter and civic education; therefore, the processes need to start all over again.”

The opposition parties also demanded the removal of certain appointed officials at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for the sake of neutrality in their execution of duties.

Top on the list is the commission’s chairperson, Annabel Mtalimanja, who is believed to be Malawi Congress Party (MCP) sympathizer – a party with a vested interest in the elections.

This position was particularly emphasized by UDF vice-president Rahim Osman.

The MEC has been working towards conducting free, fair, credible elections, with a comprehensive voter education campaign in place.

However, the opposition parties’ concerns and demands have raised questions about the integrity of the electoral process.

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the authorities will respond to the opposition’s demands and ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.