By their nature, elections are very emotive events. Their outcomes have the power to completely alter people’s destinies.
This is particularly so in Africa, where people vying for leadership positions will go to every length to get to power even if it means killing their opponents.
Well, everywhere across the world, elections are not some casual and usual event that people have little to worry about.
We have seen even in some of the so-called advanced democracies losers refusing to concede defeat or, in the case of those already ruling, clinging to power even when it is clear that the electorate no longer wants them.
So, it is imperative from the very beginning that the integrity of elections is guarded as much as possible.
Right here in Malawi, there have been instances of opponents clashing before, during and after elections, a thing that speaks volumes about the importance of ensuring the polls are as credible as they can be.
It all starts with prior activities by the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) and how much prepared the electoral body is for an election.
The hackneyed mantra— that elections are not a one-off event, but a process which must continue after the next poll—must be a reality.
That allows stakeholders to offer their views and voice out their concerns where necessary, developments which will eventually contribute to the integrity of the next election.
When it is not done, losers can advance false claims that they did not actually lose, because they know there are elements in the electoral process that were not done right.
In recent years, voters in this country have been provided with extraordinary lessons on the importance of election integrity and accountability.
The 2020 Constitutional Court decision that nullified the re-election of Peter Mutharika set the bar so high in terms of election management.
At the core of that decision is the fact that it is not enough to argue that there was no rigging when it is clear that electoral laws were flouted and election officials conducted themselves in unprofessional manners.
The nullification of the 2020 presidential election and other parliamentary elections was a strong message to all election stakeholders, beginning with Mec, that people’s choices must never be undermined in a democratic dispensation.
The management of the court-ordered presidential poll—done within a very short period—also catapulted Mec itself to admirable levels.
While it is difficult for an election to be pure throughout, the defects must not be enough as to undermine the integrity of the process and the people’s inalienable right to elect leaders of their choice.
That is why recent events that resulted in Mec twice suspending the local government by-election for Mwasa Ward in Mangochi are terribly concerning.
Like some stakeholders have opined, the delays raise questions regarding the electoral body’s capacity to manage conflicts related to polls.
In August this year, Mec suspended the election for the ward after UTM and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had written the electoral body claiming that there were irregularities in the voter registration exercise.
On Tuesday this week, Mec again announced the suspension of preparations for the by-election due to what electoral body described as events that marred the integrity of preparatory electoral processes.
Some stakeholders are of the view that all this is stemming from lack of strict adherence of electoral rules and regulations.
Should that be really the case, then we are in for another disaster.
You see, we are talking about irregularities marring preparatory processes for a by-election for a ward, the smallest unit where Mec can conduct an election.
Of course, there are also likelihoods of some people or parties that do not see themselves winning in the election manufacturing irregularities so that they can have something to blame at the end of the day.
That is why Mec needs to be vigilant and do everything according to the law.
The guidelines are there and need to be followed to the letter for the sake of the election’s integrity.
In fact, suggestions that Mec should diversify means of identification during voter registration are dangerous because they are trying to compel the electoral body to depart from laws which clearly stipulate that the national identity card is the ideal document for voter identification.
Such suggestions are also trying to create more chaos where there already are issues of suspicion and distrust.
What stakeholders such as political parties should be doing now is playing pivotal roles in ensuring that the law is being followed and that whoever registers to vote is legally permitted to do so.
We should not slide back to times when the integrity of elections was not regarded as a crucial element that no one should tamper with.
Laws are there and must never be ignored, lest we return to court for relief which should have been obvious before, during and after the election.
