By Cathy Maulidi:
The Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) has announced nomination fees for the September 16 2025 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.
The highlight is that the nomination fee for those who are interested in contesting as presidential candidate has been pegged at K10 million, up from the K2 million that aspirants were required to pay in the June 23 2020 court-ordered presidential election.
Mec Chairperson, Judge Annabel Mtalimanja, has indicated, in a statement, that there would not be variations in nomination fees for the presidential election, meaning that there would be no special consideration for youths, women, people with disabilities and others.
It has, however, indicated that such consideration would apply to Local Government and Parliamentary Elections, where nomination fees for women, youths and people with disabilities are lower than those applicable to men and people of other status.
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In the case of Local Government and Parliamentary Elections, aspirants would cough half the fees.
The electoral body describes the move “As an expression of Mec’s commitment to inclusivity”.
While men vying for a parliamentary position will be required to pay K2.5 million, women, the youth and persons with disabilities would be required to pay K1,250,000.
On the other hand, whereas men who are interested in contesting in the Local Government Election would be required to pay K200,000, women, youths and persons with disabilities would be required to pay K100,000.
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“Take further notice that in accordance with sections 29(1) and 40(1) of the Act, all sums deposited with the commission as nomination fees are non-refundable,” Mtalimanja says in the statement.
Meanwhile, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche has described the fees for the presidency as “exorbitant”.
“The fee for those contesting for the presidency is exorbitant. Mec could have thought of something lower than that. As for fees for Parliamentary and Local Government Elections’ candidates, Mec has been considerate from the general look of financial capabilities of those contesting for the said positions,” Mkhutche said.
On its part, Oxfam—which, in partnership with Women’s Legal Resource Centre, is implementing the European Union-funded 2025 Ndi Ifeyo project—has welcomed lower fees for women, youths and people with disabilities.
Under the initiative, the organisations seek to empower women, youths and persons with disabilities as Malawi gears up for next year’s polls.
Oxfam Country Director Lingalireni Mihowa said considerate fees are what they requested when they engaged Mec officials.
“We welcome the trimmed fees,” Mihowa said.
However, Mihowa highlighted the need to address broader challenges beyond nomination fees to ensure the inclusive participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in elections.
To create a level field, Mihowa emphasised the importance of tackling issues such as transparency in primaries, saying they would thus engage political parties to ensure fair and transparent primary elections.
The other issue she highlighted is that of a ban on handouts, saying doing so would prevent those with resources from exerting undue influence on voters.
Mihowa said, instead, idea-based campaigns would help level the political field.
She also emphasised the need to address the problem of violence against women during campaign and throughout the whole electoral process.
