By Wezzie Gausi:
The United Kingdom (UK) has contributed £2m (about K 2.5 billion) towards the Malawi Electoral Support Project, which will support the Malawi Government’s preparedness for free, fair and credible elections in 2025.
The funds will be channeled through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Elections Basket Fund, which will support the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) to deliver the 2025 elections in a way that meets standards set by legislative reforms following previous elections.
Speaking during the signing ceremony for the Contribution Arrangement with UNDP in Lilongwe yesterday, British High Commissioner to Malawi Fiona Ritchie said the contribution is an important step in the UK’s long-standing partnership with Malawi on strengthening democratic accountability.
She said free and fair elections are the cornerstone of any democracy and are vital in ensuring that governments deliver effective services to citizens.
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“We are proud to have provided technical and financial support to the administration of previous elections in Malawi. This support has built on the country’s own strong commitment to free and fair elections – evidenced in the strong financial commitment the Government of Malawi has made towards the delivery of elections and resourcing of oversight bodies, as well as Parliament’s role in passing landmark electoral reforms after the 2020 polls,” Ritchie said.
UNDP Country Representative Shigeki Komatsubara said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding will give Mec ample time to prepare for the countrywide voter registration exercise that is planned for September 2024.
“This support will also go a long way in promoting informed public participation, inclusion of marginalised majorities like women and youths through intentionally designed pillars of peace and inclusion,” Komatsubara said.
Mec Chief Elections Officer Andrew Mpesi said Mec is well prepared for the 2025 general elections.
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He said the government has allocated K48 billion towards electoral processes.
“We are happy with this development as we know that this institution [Mec] needs partners to execute its duties and responsibilities without challenges,” Mpesi said.
The UK envoy has since encouraged the Government of Malawi to continue taking all necessary measures to ensure election preparedness, including addressing the large backlog of national identity cards.
