A Review of the Election Commissions' Decisive Roles, in Managing Highly Contested Processes : Malawi (May 2014) and Lesotho (February 2015) - Research

This article, using the framework criteria of the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), comparatively examines the intervention of the Independent Election Commission (IEC in highly contested electoral processes of Malawi, in May 2014 and the Snap Election of Lesotho in February 2015. Employing the trace process, qualitative and comparative analysis based on secondary sources, reports and newspaper reports, this article argues that the post-2000 Election Commission, has been able to assert itself by invoking constitutional provisions that ultimately ensure the integrity of electoral processes during the brief period of power vacuum even when confronted by fiercely, gladiatorial competitors. Findings in the comparative case studies reveal that soon after the announcement of the electoral result, losing candidates were forced to flee the country into self-imposed exile, fearing imminent incarceration or even assassination. In spite of the negative legacy of competitiveness, the public perception of the fairness and performance of the EMBs and its growing integrity as an institution has been maintained. Sadly, this positive assertiveness of the EMBs remains largely undocumented and understudied on the continent.