Ansah insists leading normal life: ‘I do not work through public appearances’

Embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has maintained that  she is personally alright and leading a normal life and working as usual  despite  Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) demanding her resignations  in a series of demonstrations for allegedly presiding over a flawed electoral process on May 21 2019.

Engaging the media after the official opening of the 21st Annual General Conference of Electoral Commissions Forum for Southern African Development Community (ECF-Sadc) in Blantyre, Ansah said  though at the conference was her  first public appearance since May this year, she has been working at the electoral body.

“I do not work through public appearances,” said Ansah clad in an ivory-coloured cardigan over a similar colour of dress and matching shoes.

“The fact that you do not usually see me does not imply that I am not working. I work at my offices at MEC headquarters,” she said looking composed.

Ansah said MEC has learnt important lessons in the way to conduct elections and willdraw upon  lessons to improve  elections by identifying the gaps and retaining the best practices.

Meanwhile, HRDC  says it will hold fresh demonstrations from Wednesday to Friday this week and petition Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) Electoral Commissions Forum (ECF) delegates meeting in Blantyre.

HRDC acting national chairperson Happy Mhango told reporters in Lilongwe that are targeting Sadc to let them know that Malawians are not happy with the management of the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Ansah, a jusge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, is on record as having said she will not resign unless the court finds her in the wrong.

Her defiance could stem from the fact that the  appointing authority could be  rallying behind her as President Peter Mutharika also told BBC that he cannot fire Ansah.

Ansah has become the second MEC chairperson to face resignation calls after the late William Hanjahanja who tendered his resignation in May 1999 amid pressure from electoral stakeholders.

Then president Bakili Muluzi replaced Hanjahanja, who cited health grounds as reasons for his resignation within weeks to the 1999 elections, with Supreme Court Judge James Kalaile.

Stakeholders accused Hanjahanja of poor leadership, but the commission said medical doctors had given him a two-week bed rest after treating him for malaria and high blood pressure.