Leaked audios from a WhatsApp group operated by the so-called “Citizens for Credible Elections” have exposed a shocking plot spearheaded by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in collaboration with civil society actors Sylvester Namiwa and Edward Kambanje to incite protests and destabilize the forthcoming September 16 elections.
The audios capture Kambanje candidly admitting that he and Namiwa were summoned to a strategic meeting by the DPP. What was expected to be a routine consultation turned into a briefing session for what he calls a “coordinated campaign” against the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
“I was shocked to find Namiwa already seated when I arrived to meet the DPP officials. That’s when I realized this was bigger than we thought. They asked us to lead the demonstrations across the country from Mangochi, Blantyre, and Mzuzu,” said Kambanje in the leaked voice note, which was meant to be a brief to the members of their grouping.
He went on to outline plans which includes a press briefing to be held on Thursday (June 19, and the press conference indeed took place as planned), another in Mzuzu and then Blantyre.
Kambanje further outlines how the campaign will be funded by the DPP and assured his colleagues that money for their activities will not be a problem.
The agenda, as outlined in the audios, is to pressure MEC to allow a so-called audit of its electoral database and stop the use of Smartmatic technology, issues already clarified and settled by MEC through multiple press briefings.
The ultimate goal? To discredit MEC Chairperson Justice Anabel Mtalimanja and eventually force her resignation.
The scandal deepened when another member of the WhatsApp group, angered by accusations over the exposure, recorded his own voice note, which was also leaked. In it, he reprimands his colleagues for their recklessness and warns them that their efforts to derail the elections are futile.
“MCP is strong across the country. You won’t manage to shake the system. Your demonstration will be blocked on the ground,” he says bluntly.
This second audio also paints a picture of a group in disarray, already paranoid and accusing one another of being the mole.
The Citizens for Credible Elections claim to seek transparency. But critics argue their real mission is to serve DPP interests by creating a narrative of electoral fraud before any votes are cast. By attacking MEC, the DPP is effectively sowing seeds of doubt in the minds of voters, laying the groundwork to dispute unfavourable results.
The DPP has recently come under fire for operating in secrecy and lies. Their failure to collect presidential nomination papers on time, the absence of their leader Arthur Peter Mutharika amidst growing health concerns, and infighting among senior party officials have left the party in disarray.
This exposed plot further cements the view that the DPP is not prepared for the elections and is therefore relying on underhanded tactics to discredit the process.
Meanwhile, the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has remained largely unshaken. With strong grassroots support across the country and a growing number of candidates already collecting nomination forms, MCP’s electoral machinery appears ready and robust.
Civil society groups and commentators have condemned the revelations, describing the plan as treacherous and criminal.
“This is treasonous. Using civic platforms to push partisan agendas funded by political parties undermines the integrity of our democracy,” said one Blantyre-based political analyst.
MEC has not commented directly on some of the accusations but reiterated in a statement on Monday that its systems are secure and that the electoral process will proceed as planned.
This exposé is a wake-up call.
As the country approaches the crucial September polls, citizens must be vigilant and reject attempts to destabilize democratic processes through lies and manipulation. The audios have not just exposed the DPP’s desperation, they have also discredited the so-called Citizens for Credible Elections.
The recordings are now live on The Pangolin Online social media pages. The people have the right to listen, analyse, and decide.
The credibility of Malawi’s elections depends not just on MEC—but on every citizen’s commitment to truth and democracy.
Who Are the Players?
Sylvester Namiwa, the Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has for years postured as a neutral civil rights activist. But his credibility has increasingly come under scrutiny due to his selective targeting of institutions and conspicuous silence on DPP-related irregularities. Namiwa is no stranger to controversy, often accused of being a DPP surrogate.
Edward Kambanje, a lesser-known civic figure, has previously aligned himself with various advocacy initiatives but he has always ended up in bitter fights with his colleagues. he was early this year booted out of a group known as “People Power Movement” which he was leading after it was discovered that he delegated his wife to a working trip to Ghana instead of a member of the group. The wife was not a member.
His voice note confirms what many suspected: these individuals are not just critics of the system, they are part of a DPP-backed machinery.
The audios identify additional actors in the scheme:
- Mr. Peter Matholo, alleged to be coordinating ground mobilization
- Mr. Samuni, designated to coordinate activities in Blantyre
- Ms. Ina Mazinga, named as another regional point person
- Mr. Bonface Kashololo, named as the coordinator in Mzuzu
