The Civil Society Elections Integrity Platform (CSEIP) in the Eastern Region has strongly condemned political leaders for exploiting young people to disrupt political rallies.
Speaking at a press briefing in Liwonde, Machinga, CSEIP Chairperson Sammy Aaron criticized the use of violence in political processes.
“We have observed that young people are sent to disrupt political meetings by hacking people with panga knives,” he said. Aaron urged youths to resist being manipulated for political gains.
He also appealed to the media to focus on sensitizing eligible voters to register during the third phase of voter registration currently underway in parts of the country, including the Eastern Region.
“We appeal to politicians to desist from disseminating misleading information to the public because this can discourage people from voting in the 2025 elections,” he added.
Addressing calls from opposition parties and civil society organizations for Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja to resign, Aaron dismissed the demands as baseless, emphasizing that her appointment followed due process.
Aaron further defended the use of Smartmatic machines in the electoral process, stating that opposition parties had been informed about their adoption.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Chairperson for the Eastern Region, Madalitso Banda, also condemned the use of youths to disrupt political rallies.
“Malawi is a multiparty democracy, and it is unacceptable for political leaders to exploit young people for such purposes,” he said.
Banda called on the government to provide adequate funding to MEC to ensure credible elections in 2025.
