Malawi: Presidential elections scheduled for July 2 /update 6

Event

On Monday, March 23, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced that the rerun of the annulled presidential elections, originally held in May 2019, would be on Thursday, July 2. The Malawian Constitutional Court in Lilongwe annulled President Peter Mutharika's 2019 presidential election victory on Monday, February 3, upholding an application submitted by opposition parties. According to the court, there were widespread irregularities in the election results. Mutharika reportedly plans to appeal the court's ruling.

Political rallies and demonstrations are expected in the weeks and months leading up to the election.

Context

Election-related demonstrations organized by opposition supporters have been held regularly since May 26, 2019, after voting irregularities were reported during the May 21 general elections. Demonstrators have been calling for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah, accusing her of mishandling the presidential elections. Additionally, protesters are increasingly discontented with President Peter Mutharika and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as a whole.

Advice

Individuals in Malawi are advised to monitor developments and adhere to instructions issued by the local authorities.