Malawi: Presidential election moved forward to June 23 /update 10

Event

On Tuesday, June 9, the Malawian parliament voted to move the 2020 presidential election forward by one week, to June 23. The election was previously scheduled for July 2, and will be a re-run of the May 2019 poll which was annulled by the Constitutional Court in February. The parliamentary decision, moved by the opposition Alliance for Democracy (Aford) party, was greeted by protests from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), with MPs chasing the first deputy speaker out of the house.

Protests have been called across Malawi for Wednesday, June 10, to demand electoral accountability in the upcoming elections, as well as the removal of Jean Manthanga and Linda Kunje as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioners. Protesters are expected to gather at 08:00 (local time) at the Community Ground in Lilongwe on Wednesday, before marching to the Malawi Parliament Building. A similar demonstration is expected to take place at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre at 08:00. Other protest locations and times were not immediately announced, but similar demonstrations are expected to take place in urban centers nationwide.

Advice

Individuals in Malawi are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests, anticipate disruptions to transportation and business and a heightened security presence near demonstration sites, and adhere to instructions issued by local authorities and their home governments.