The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum (CSEIF) have said that calls to reject Smartmatic, demand a return to manual voting, or threaten mass action without providing evidence have the potential to erode public trust and undermine the electoral process.
The organisations have expressed concern that, despite these calls being made two weeks ago, no clear scope, terms of reference, or audit framework has been submitted to the relevant authorities or made available to the public.
According to the two organisations, this lack of follow-through casts doubt on the credibility and seriousness of the demands, and risks turning a potentially legitimate accountability effort into political theatre.
In an interview with MIJ Online CSEIF Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe said that stakeholders need to clearly outline their concerns and present them through the appropriate channels.
He said the integrity of the electoral process should be upheld through facts, adherence to the law, and responsible leadership.
The civil society organisations have jointly urged the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to maintain its professional independence and continue engaging stakeholders in dialogue concerning electoral systems and preparedness.
They further called on all political parties to engage constructively and to reject tactics involving fear, ultimatums, and violence.
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