The National Planning Commission (NPC) has announced that it will conclude reviewing the manifestos of 21 political parties within two weeks. This process ensures alignment with the country’s development blueprint ahead of the upcoming elections.

This initiative is in line with Section 12, Subsection A of the amended Political Parties Act. Political parties that fail to comply risk being barred from fielding candidates in the September general elections.

NPC spokesperson Thom Khanje revealed on Thursday that the commission has already issued certificates of compliance to 16 political parties. The remaining five manifestos are under review to ensure alignment with the Malawi 2063 Development Agenda within the stipulated time frame.

“As a commission, we are quite satisfied with the progress. This gives us confidence that all political parties in the country will have complied with the Political Parties Act by the time the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) begins accepting nominations from aspiring presidential candidates,” said Khanje.

However, Khanje did not disclose the names of the compliant political parties or whether the commission would consider extending its January 22 deadline for compliance.

Major political parties, including the UDF, PP, UTM, AFORD, and the ruling Malawi Congress Party, had yet to submit their manifestos to the NPC by the end of last year. Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadreck Namalomba confirmed that the DPP has been certified by the NPC.

Social commentator Caesar Kondowe described the development as positive, emphasizing that it ensures continuity of the country’s developmental aspirations despite changes in leadership. However, political analyst Enerst Thindwa expressed concerns that the requirement, while aligned with the Political Parties Act, might suppress innovation in manifesto development.

Malawi is gearing up for a general election in September, with the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) currently conducting the third phase of a voter transfer exercise.