Ansah created this crisis, says Mtambo: All set for CSOs protests 

The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating under the banner Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) say all is set to hold demonstrations in Lilongwe  on Thursday and Friday to force Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Jane Ansah  to resign as the overseer of the elections governing body.

Ansah, who has since refused to step down, told the media recently that demonstrations organised by the CSOs are a mob justice that need not to be tolerated.

But HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said  Ansah should not blame anybody.

“Ansah is the one who created this crisis. People should not blame anyone, they should blame Jane Ansah for mismanaging their vote,” he said.

He said they will not relent to hold vigils until  Ansah resigns.

“She should take herself larger than life that she can’t step down. She will go by people power,” he added.

The vigils on Thursday and Friday are following the  one which was held two weeks ago with the same objective of forcing Ansah to resign for allegedly mishandling the May 21 polls results.

In the northern region, demonstrations will be conducted in Karonga, Rumphi, Mzimba and Mzuzu city while in the central region they will be held in Lilongwe, Salima, Mchinji and Kasungu.

In the Southern region, where president Mutharika scooped over half of the votes, protests will be conducted in Mangochi, Zomba and Blantyre.

The CSOs have since appealed to Malawi Police Service (MPS) to arrest anybody who will be found perpetrating violence and looting people’s property.

“We had a meeting with Malawi Police Service and we have assured them that the demonstrations would be peaceful. Anyone who will attempt to turn the situation into [a platform for promoting] anarchy and chaos would be arrested by the police.

“We are not saying that the people should not be angry, but we are saying that one can still express dissatisfaction without destroying other people’s properties,” Mtambo said.

Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said the law enforcing agency will always provide maximum security to peaceful demonstrators and that it will also move swiftly to protect people’s property whenever there will be violence.