Activists say shocked with Ansah refusal to step aside

Civil rights activists who sit on Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) say they are shocked that embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has refused to step aside following serious allegations of poll result manipulation.

HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said Ansah’s comments in Monday’s exclusive interview with with multi-award winning private broadcaster Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) raised more questions than answers.

“Dr. Jane Ansah exposed herself, she contradicted herself,” said Mtambo, insisting she needs to step aside.

“As HRDC, we will not stop to call for her resignation and we will have a press conference where we will continue to force her resign,” said Mtambo.

Mtambo said public officers hold power on behalf of ordinary citizens, saying this is why when the citizens lose confidence in the public officers, they need to resign.

In her interview, Ansah dismissed calls for her to resign for allegedly compromising herself and mismanaging the May 21 Tripartite Elections and purportedly favouring President Peter Mutharika.

She described accusations of her personal bias as unfounded and baseless.

During the interview, Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, rejected any calls for her to resign on principle, saying she will wait for the court’s judgement on the matter to decide whether to call it quits.

She described nationwide demonstrations organised by HRDC in the country’s four cities last Thursday demanding her resignation as “mob justice”.

Ansah said she is personally alright and leading a normal life.

What I can say is that I did my work according to law,” she said.

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