Malawi

Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics

Population: 18.6 million
Head of Government: President Lazarus Chakwera
Ruling party/coalition: Malawi Congress Party
Last election: 2020
Next election: 2025
Registered voters: 6.86 million (2020)
Annual salary of member of legislature: K19.2 million (US$26,100)
Year of study: 2019

Average cost to seek election to parliament: K27 million (US$37,000)

^US$ 37,000

The total average cost to get elected to parliament is 142% of annual MP salary

142%

Main source of funding:

Personal resources

62% of candidates spent more than they had expected in the campaign.

62%

83% of survey respondents think women are disadvantaged by the high cost of politics.

83%

87% of survey respondents think youth are disadvantaged by high cost of politics.

87%

Percentages of candidates in favour of a spending cap:

Key Findings

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Election campaigns

Candidates standing in party strongholds spent more in primaries than other candidates.
The most important costs in primaries are costs associated with constituency development projects, meeting party structures, organising the primary (including transporting delegates), and buying party materials (including t-shirts and cloth for delegates).
In general elections candidates spend the most on organising rallies and other campaign activities, engaging in constituency development projects, procuring party material, and monitoring elections. Our survey found that 89% of candidates funded some local development projects during the campaign. For most candidates, these were smaller projects like drilling a borehole or repairing potholes in roads.
Despite the enactment of the 2018 Political Parties’ Act and the prohibition of handouts, more than 96% of candidates state that at least one candidate in their constituency used handouts to voters and chiefs in their campaigns.

Raising the funds

Candidates receive very little contributions from social groups and business interests.
Malawian campaigns are mostly self-funded; the average candidate drew 83% of their campaign resources from personal resources.
The average candidate (non-independent) received 3.3 million MKW ($4,500) worth of support from their party (in cash, goods, and services). However, the variation between parties is large, with ruling party candidates receiving the biggest financial backing.
Most opposition party candidates received little from their parties, save from a small amount of campaign material and possibly reimbursement for nomination fees.

Impacts, implications and recommendations

The high costs of politics limits political representation, curtails competition, and spurs corruption.
The findings suggest that parties are as dependent on their parliamentary candidates as candidates are dependent on their parties.
A correlation exists between electoral success and spending. However, our interviewees were clear that money alone will not get you elected: candidates also need to connect with voters, be perceived as competent and contribute to the development of their constituencies.
As many as 95% of all candidates agree with the statement that more civic education is needed to inform voters on the implications of the handout prohibition.

Read the brief (English)

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