Political scientist raps Malawi govt over MEC commissioners appointment
A renowned political scientist at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi has described the ruling party biased appointment of commissioners at Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as recipe for problems during the 2019 elections.
Joseph Chunga, chairman of Political Scientists Association said Malawians will not trust the new commission dominated by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) diehards.
“The President could have considered names from other political parties. The appointment has already raised eyebrows as some people think the DPP is dominating the commission in order to rig the 2019 elections,” said Chunga.
President Peter Mutharika appointed MEC commissioners on Monday and these are Jean Mathanga a ruling DPP membe, a former Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) board chair Moffat Banda, former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) deputy governor Mary Nkosi,former Livingstonia Synod moderator and current Ekwendeni Mission Hospital principal administrator the Reverend Clifford Baloyi and the Reverend Killion Mgawi, who has served Nkhoma Synod as a minister for 53 years besides being its first general secretary.
Others are former diplomat Yahaya M’madi of United Democratic Front (UDF) and Linda Kunje of Peoples Party.
Out of the nine previous commissioners only Elvey Mtafu has been retained while the rest are new faces.
Steve Duwa, executive director of Malawi Electoral Support Network welcomed the appointment of the commissioners and told them to put aside their political differences and work as a commission.
Duwa said the commissioners do not have honey moon as they have big task of preparing for the 2019 elections in addition to the holding of the by elections in Mchinji West.
Chairperson of Gender Coordination Network Emma Kaliya applauded the president for appointing equal numbers of women and men in the commission.
She said this shows that Malawi is getting towards the 50-50 gender equality.
Nanga a MCP mukuti chani pama appointment ya MEC yatsopano iyi.Am MCP supporter ,and l don’t expect our party to remain silent on this crucial issue. PP has shown it’s stand,saying the new MEC is all dominated by DPP, which is true.
8 DPP sympathisers against 2 MCP/PP sympathisers,really? This scenario never happened during Bakili Muluzi administration yet Peter happens to be a professor at law who should be very conversant with Governance issues.I have never been impressed with the quality of decision making by this professor, he seems to be at the same level of thinking with wamandazi Joyce Banda.Kaya in law Calista Chimombo akuwona zimezi?
Moffat Banda from Mizwanya to MBC board chair to MEC commissioner. Kikkkk, banana republic
I am so worried that Emma Kaliaya’s concern is always gender balance and not the quality of the appointees. Does she realise that elections will be compromised with the crop of appointees. I think it is important to put some sense in the comments we make sometimes other than being myopic. Kaliya feels by balancing the gender work is done, but if you look to the future of Malawi, trouble is brewing and she along with the 15 million plus Malawians will yet again cry over spilt milk. We also need to analylise the present situation visa vis the outcome… Read more »
In true sense all the Commissioners are DPP sympathisers. In the CCAP Nkhoma Rev. Dr Mgawi is widely known to be a full sympathiser of DPP. At the Mnchinji Developmental rally in 2011, Rev Dr. Mgawi claimed to speak on behalf of Nkhoma Synod. He has been closely related to a senior DPP member of Kamphata in Lilongwe. In the similar way Rev Baloyi. More over Rev. Gawi is too old or overgaed for the post.
In that case why did MCP nominate Mgawi? Have they complained or it’s Chunga whining? And why did we not hear Chunga carry out such kind of analysis when Joice Banda appointed only one DPP nominee in the outgoing commission and stuff it with its cronies and MCP’s? Is he really a political scientist worth calling a public political analyst worth his salt or just a political mercenary?