MEC affirms complete retrieval, says only final results will be released.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced the successful 100% retrieval of election materials from all polling stations nationwide, affirming that only final, verified results will be made public for the 2025 General Elections.
Speaking at a press briefing held Thursday afternoon at the National Tally Centre in Lilongwe, MEC Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja confirmed that by 9:00 a.m on September 18, all physical materials had been securely collected.
She emphasized that only officially verified outcomes, beginning with presidential results, will be announced in strict adherence to electoral law.
“There will be no release of unofficial or preliminary results,” Mtalimanja stated, underscoring the Commission’s commitment to transparency and legal compliance. She reminded the public that results are physically posted at polling centres and warned against tampering, noting these sheets serve as permanent public records.
Mtalimanja further assured that political parties and independent candidates had received or photographed their copies of the result sheets, as stipulated in electoral guidelines.
As of the briefing, 96 out of 229 constituencies had completed data capture and submitted results to their respective district tally centers. Both manual and electronic processes are being used to verify and transmit the results to the National Tally Centre in stages.
Three councils had completed district-level processing and were en route to the national hub, though their names were withheld for security purposes.
Once processing begins at the national level, the MEC will provide public access to updates through a live digital display at the tally centre. However, Mtalimanja reiterated that no results, electronic or otherwise, will be declared until full manual verification is complete.
The Commission also issued a strong warning against using social media platforms to submit complaints. “Facebook posts and WhatsApp messages will not be recognized as official grievances,” she said. All complaints must be formally submitted, either via email or hand delivery, to MEC headquarters or local returning officers, and must include specific details and supporting evidence. Vague or informal submissions will not be considered.
With the results’ management process underway, the Commission called for patience, urging all stakeholders to follow the correct procedures to ensure a lawful and credible conclusion to the electoral process.
