LocationsBuilding Capacity for Malawi’s Civil Society-Led Election Situation Room
August 17, 2025
Mr. Isaack Okero Otieno, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor on Elections (fourth from left, front row), together with representatives from NICE, COMESA, ICC, MPUC, and other stakeholders, during the ESR Trainer of Trainers workshop in Lilongwe.
With less than a month to the 16 September elections, Malawi took a major step toward strengthening electoral integrity by launching a Training of Trainers workshop for the country’s first fully integrated civil society–led Election Situation Room (ESR).
The Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop in Lilongwe prepared 100 master trainers drawn from all 28 districts of Malawi. The training, included partners from the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission (MPUC), the Independence Complaints Commission (ICC), OXFAM, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Non-Governmental Organization Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN), the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), UNICEF, the Center for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) among others. They are expected to train over 570 roving observers and more than 6,300 stationed observers nationwide, who will monitor the elections in real time.
Mr. Isaack Okero Otieno, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor on Elections, delivering his remarks, describing the ESR as an evidence-based hub that transforms citizen observation into verified, timely information for public accountability and rapid response, and emphasizing the importance of accuracy, inclusion, and cooperation among all electoral stakeholders.
Led by the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Malawi Electoral Support Project (MESP), funded by the European Union, USAID, FCDO, Norway, and the Embassy of Ireland, the integrated ESR was established to serve as a national hub for collecting, verifying, and responding to election-related incidents. Using the new Masoathu digital platform, observers can submit live reports from the field, helping to identify and address issues within minutes.
Speaking at the opening, NICE Executive Director Gray Kalindekafe described the initiative as “a vigilant force dedicated to safeguarding the democratic spirit at its very roots,” adding that the training was “not merely about observation, but about defending democracy through transparency and truth.”
Master trainers expected to train both roving and stationed observers nationwide to enable them to monitor the elections in real time.
The UNDP Chief Technical Advisor on Elections, Isaack Otieno, speaking on behalf of the Resident Representative, described the ESR as “an evidence-based hub that turns citizen observation into verified, timely information for public accountability and rapid response,” emphasising the importance of accuracy, inclusion, and cooperation among all electoral stakeholders.
The COMESA Representative, Richard Atwaru, noted “that Democracy and regular elections are foundational pillars for ensuring peace and stability. ensuring governments derive their mandate from the people's will”
The ESR is designed to operate nationally, but its strength is rooted in local reach through district networks and digital channels. During election week, a public situation room is planned to display live data, while an intervention desk comprising the Malawi Electoral Commission, Malawi Police Service, and other partners will respond to verified incidents as they occur.
“Every election presents new challenges—disinformation, cyber threats, logistical hurdles,” the Chief Technical Advisor said. “The value of the ESR is measured in minutes and hours—how quickly we verify, escalate, and act.”
The workshop concluded on 15 August, after which the newly trained master trainers will start cascading the programme to observers across the country in preparation for Election Day.
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