Lilongwe, Malawi – July 24, 2025
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has expressed concern over a growing number of duplicate voter registrations, saying they are unsure how to handle the situation as it unfolds ahead of the 2025 General Elections.
“Many people registered twice and we don’t know what to do with them,” a senior MEC official admitted, raising serious questions about the integrity of the ongoing voter registration process.
This development is beginning to vindicate opposition political parties who have long demanded a comprehensive audit of MEC’s computer systems and the national voter roll. They have consistently argued that without such scrutiny, the credibility of the electoral process would be at risk.
Recent revelations indicate that some citizens have managed to register multiple times using the same national identification documents, pointing to possible loopholes in MEC’s verification mechanisms.
Election stakeholders and governance commentators are now calling for urgent reforms, including a forensic audit of the biometric voter registration system and improved data management practices. Civil society organizations have also warned that failure to address the issue transparently could fuel public distrust in the electoral process.
MEC is yet to announce what specific measures will be taken to resolve the issue or how the affected entries will be handled in the final voter register.
The 2025 elections are seen as a critical test of Malawi’s democratic maturity, and observers say how MEC handles this challenge could shape public confidence in the outcome.
