United Democratic Front (UDF) President Atupele Austin Muluzi has denied rumours hovering on social media claiming that the party is in support of the use of the smartimatic system by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in the forthcoming 2025 polls.

Recently opposition political parties led by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) organized demonstrations against use of the said system but UDF opted for a meeting with the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja.

This has attracted speculations among Malawians that UDF is in support of the system but Muluzi has quashed the claims.

“It has come to our attention that a narrative is being circulated suggesting that the United Democratic Front (UDF) supports the use of Smartmatic in the upcoming elections. Let me make it abundantly clear: this is not true.

“In our press statement dated 2nd December 2024, we explicitly highlighted the concerns we raised with the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) regarding the use of Smartmatic. These concerns were made in good faith to ensure transparency, security, and the credibility of the electoral process,” said Muluzi.

He added: “Historically, the UDF has appointed commissioners to the MEC. However, under the new law, the threshold for representation was changed, leaving only the DPP as the only opposition party represented on the commission. It is this commission that approved the use of Smartmatic.

“Our recent meeting with MEC was to better understand its proposed use and functionality. During this meeting, MEC assured us that political parties would be consulted before any final decision is made regarding the use of Smartmatic in the 2025 elections. We await this consultation and expect all opposition parties to provide their input at that time.

“It is, therefore, misleading to claim that the UDF endorses or supports the use of Smartmatic. We remain committed to advocating for an electoral process that is fair, transparent, and reflective of the will of the Malawian people.”

Malawi will go to polls on September 16, 2025.