United Democratic Front (UDF) President Atupele Muluzi has petitioned the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), citing widespread irregularities in Tuesday’s general elections and calling for a recount in several districts where tally figures are alleged to have been inflated in favor of certain candidates.
Speaking at a press conference in Lilongwe Saturday morning, Muluzi thanked Malawians for turning out in large numbers to vote and commended electoral staff for their work. But he expressed deep concern over what he described as “serious anomalies” in vote figures from Blantyre, Mangochi, Machinga, Balaka, and Zomba.
“I am as disturbed as anyone that our vote as Malawians is in jeopardy. We have found so many irregularities in tally centres, where the number of votes counted for candidates does not match the number of voters recorded. Such things demotivate people and threaten our democracy,” Muluzi said.
According to UDF, the party has submitted formal complaints to MEC and attached documentary evidence, including signed tally sheets, which show discrepancies between official voter turnout and the votes allocated to presidential candidates.
“The powers in any elected person come from the people. Elections must not be won because of money or tricks, but through honesty. We have demanded a recount in the affected districts and provided MEC with all the necessary evidence,” he said.
Muluzi added that while the party still has faith in the electoral process, it will not stand by while the integrity of the electoral process is undermined but push for transparency and accountability through both legal and political means if MEC does not act swiftly.
He said UDF lawyers are on standby to escalate the matter to court if MEC fails to act.
The UDF joins the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), which has also petitioned MEC to audit results from areas flagged for manipulation. Meanwhile, UTM, led by Dalitso Kabambe, has yet to publicly comment on the unfolding crisis.
Muluzi’s concerns also add to mounting controversy surrounding the September 16 polls, which have been dogged by reports of vote figure manipulation and inflation across several districts.
In Zomba District, according to unofficial results, the number of valid votes tallied was 236,720, void votes 4,833, making total votes counted 241,533, against 203,273 as the number of people who actually voted. In the district Joyce Banda of PP has 4,414, Dr. Chakwera 5,676, Atupele Muluzi of UDF 5,624, Dalitso Kabambe 3,761while APM got 213,214 votes already a figure above those who actually voted.
Similarly, in Ntcheu District had the same pattern. It is indicated that 133,946 votes were cast for MCP, UTM and DPP minus votes for other presidential candidates against the district’s turn-out of 118,782 voters. A breakdown indicates APM got 106,917 votes, Dalitso Kabambe 14,270, Chakwera 9,063, with 3,696 void votes.
The Malawi Police Service (MPS) confirmed on Friday that it had arrested eight data entry clerks at the Nkhoma Tally Centre in Lilongwe on suspicion of manipulating results. The arrests followed a dramatic incident in which a constituency returning officer, Clement Chikankha, attempted suicide before police intervened.
Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said investigations are also underway in Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga, and Rumphi, with sources indicating that other districts under scrutiny include Thyolo, Zomba, Mangochi, Nsanje, Chitipa, Karonga, Kasungu, and Salima.
Insiders have told The Pangolin Online that many of the irregularities involve bribing MEC data clerks, monitors, and presiding officers to doctor results in favor of the DPP.
Concerns have also deepened after reports of a second attempted suicide, this time involving a presiding officer in Chikwawa who allegedly stabbed herself after failing to reconcile machine and manual results at a polling station. She is currently recovering at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.
Civil society groups have since raised fears that tally staff and presiding officers may be under systematic threats or pressure not to disclose details of rigging attempts, especially as the police probe expands.
Malawi has a fraught history with election irregularities mostly linked to the DPP. The 2019 elections were nullified by the Constitutional Court after widespread evidence of tampered tally sheets, famously marked with “Tippex.” Similarly, in 2014 APM had to be rushed to be sworn in as president replacing Joyce Banda after news of massive rigging started emerging across the country.
Observers warn that the current election risks plunging the country back into the same cycle of fraud, legal battles, and political instability, unless MEC and law enforcement decisively deal with cases of manipulation. As Muluzi emphasized, the credibility of this election, and the future of Malawi’s democracy may hinge on how swiftly authorities act on these unfolding scandals.
