By Burnett Munthali
In a bold move, Leader of Opposition George Chaponda has today formally requested the Speaker’s office to facilitate a visit by the entire House to a warehouse in Kanengo, Lilongwe, where the National Registration Bureau (NRB) is allegedly sorting out national identification documents. Chaponda’s request follows ongoing concerns about the potential manipulation of voter IDs in the run-up to the 2025 elections.
Chaponda also called for a thorough inspection of the servers at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), citing growing allegations of election rigging. The opposition leader, who was given a 48-hour deadline on Thursday by the Parliament to present evidence of such claims, explained that it would be impractical to physically transport the warehouse or MEC servers to Parliament for inspection. Therefore, he requested that Parliament’s members personally visit the site to gather first-hand information and assess the situation.
He further emphasized the need for a site visit by comparing it to court procedures, where judges and legal teams are often permitted to visit crime scenes to collect crucial evidence. Chaponda argued that Parliament should adopt a similar approach to ensure transparency and accountability in the matter.
However, the request was met with a swift response from Second Deputy Speaker Aisha Adams. Adams reminded Chaponda and the House that Parliament has its own established procedures for handling such matters. She reiterated that Chaponda must submit any evidence he has to the Speaker’s office, as previously instructed. This response highlights the ongoing procedural debate about how best to handle these serious allegations and ensure due process.
The call for transparency and accountability has ignited a national debate, with many political and civil society leaders demanding immediate action to address the claims of election rigging and the manipulation of national IDs. As the 2025 elections approach, the allegations and the requests for on-site investigations have added fuel to the fire, with the public and political stakeholders calling for swift and clear responses from the authorities.
Chaponda’s proposal to visit the Kanengo warehouse and inspect the MEC servers underscores the growing concerns about the integrity of Malawi’s electoral process. The next steps from the Speaker’s office and Parliament will be closely watched by all, as the country prepares for a crucial election.
