DEMOCRACY AND ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN MALAWI: THE POST-2019 ELECTIONS

Abstract

This article holds that regular, free, fair, and credible elections is a litmus test for determining democratic government legitimacy; however, electoral violence has persisted. Whereas regular elections ensure that government draws its legitimacy from the will of the voters, and whereas they are an indispensable element of democratic governance, they do not guarantee that the exercise of government and political power would be democratically pluralistic. This article examines the factors behind electoral violence in Malawi; and it argues that although regular elections are institutional pillars of liberal democracy, their political contestations often degenerate into violence. Electoral violence has characterised most elections in African states, including Malawi. The article finds that deficiency of democratic norms, inappropriate electoral systems and weak Electoral Management Bodies are some of the key motives underlying post-electoral violence in Malawi. The article concludes that pragmatic polices which create a conducive environment for free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections are required to sustain electoral democracy. It recommends that attention should be given to political-legal and socio-economic institutions as well as efficient and effective management of entire electoral process in order to provide level political field among parties, minimize electoral violence and consolidate democracy. Keywords: Democracy consolidation, Elections, Electoral administration, Electoral violence