By Burnett Munthali
Lilongwe | Monday, 28 July 2025
The nomination papers submitted by the president of the People’s Transformation Party (PETRA) have failed the preliminary inspection by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
This development has been officially confirmed by MEC Chairperson, Honourable Justice Annabel Mtalimanja.
According to Justice Mtalimanja, one of the key issues leading to the rejection of the nomination papers was the absence of signatures on the candidacy consent form by the presidential candidate’s designated running mate.
She added that this omission is a critical violation of the nomination requirements outlined by MEC for the 2025 General Elections.
Justice Mtalimanja further indicated that there were additional issues beyond the unsigned consent form, but did not immediately disclose all of them during her briefing.
The MEC Chairperson emphasized that all aspiring presidential candidates must ensure their documentation is complete and duly signed in accordance with the electoral guidelines to avoid disqualification.
This setback means that PETRA’s presidential candidate will have to address the compliance issues before the nomination deadline or risk being excluded from the 2025 presidential race.
The MEC continues to review nomination papers for all presidential hopefuls as part of its mandate to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process ahead of the highly anticipated elections.
The failed submission by PETRA comes amid increased scrutiny and pressure on political parties to meet all legal and procedural requirements during the nomination phase.
