The Presidential Debates Taskforce wishes to address the general public on the upcoming series of Presidential Debates scheduled to take place between August 21, 2025, and September 4, 2025. We acknowledge the recent communication from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) about their decision not to participate in these debates. Our goal is to ensure that the debates provide a platform for all candidates to present their visions and policies to the electorate. As such, we would like to assure the public that the debates will proceed as planned. In the meantime, we are committed to engaging with all presidential candidates, including those of MCP and DPP. We remain focused on providing the public with an opportunity to hear from leaders willing to be part of this vital democratic process. We would also like to remind all leaders and the general public about the following benefits of Presidential Debates in a democracy:
- Debates are important to the democratic practice, especially in informing voters to make informed decisions. 2. Debates act as an accountability mechanism on certain topics. 3. Debates provide an opportunity for parties to clarify manifesto pledges and demonstrate their viability and feasibility, as well as the linkages to the national development priorities. 4. Debates offer an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate alertness and thought process to showcase their ability to make quick but effective decisions. 5. Debates serve as an act of self-submission to the people for accountability and therefore upholding the principle of popular sovereignty – power to govern belongs to the people Based on the foregoing, whilst participation in Presidential debates may be voluntary, in practice leaders are obligated based on principles of accountability, responsiveness and transparency to use such platforms to address topical issues of public interest, and an important element of the principle of social contract between leaders and citizens. Non-participation in debates may imply denying citizens an opportunity to get answers and make informed decisions. Based on this, participation in these debates is, in essence, a democratic duty. We therefore remain hopeful that all candidates will recognize the importance of these debates and the value they bring to the electoral process. Thank you for your continued interest in the democratic process and for supporting initiatives that empower the electorate to make informed choices.
