Understanding Misinformation and Disinformation in Elections: Lessons from the Malawi 2019 Presidential Elections

This study evaluates how well the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), the High Court, and the Supreme Court of Appeal handled crises of misinformation and disinformation that occurred during the electoral cycle of the 2019 Malawi tripartite elections and the subsequent historic elections case. The study employed qualitative research methods and used multiple data sources which included in-depth interviews, document reviews and observations. The results show that the MEC and the judiciary benefited from foreseeing crises of disinformation and misinformation, which led to the establishment of procedures to counteract their effects on the elections and the elections case. Nevertheless, the study reveals that the electoral management body did not address perceptions arising from the treatment of emerging issues. The study concludes that the crisis performance of the MEC and the judiciary in the election`s case during the 2019 elections offers public institutions and corporate entities valuable insights and lessons on the need to foresee crises and set up systems to handle them effectively. The study suggests and stresses the creation of communication plans, a significant number of social media tactics, proactivity, and improved openness in the management of elections in the context of the contemporary digital environment.