Ansah says current MEC to administer Malawi fresh elections

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has told a local television that the current commissioners will administer the Constitutional Court sanctioned May 19 presidential election.

Her comments come as rights activists, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) are organising what they call five million protester demonstration to shut down all state residences to force President Peter Mutharika fire the commissioners.

Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, who scores of Malawians have also been demonstrating against her continued stay in office, told Rainbow Television that the commissioners will soon launch the electoral calendar for the fresh election slated for 19th May.

She maintain that she  would only resign if the Supreme Court upholds the February 3 2020 Constitutional Court judgement that nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election for massive irregularities.

Her stand comes hot of the heals of recommendations by  Members of Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee (PAC) for the  dismissal of MEC commissioners—including embattled chairperson Ansah—for alleged incompetence and mismanagement of the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections, it has emerged.

PAC made the resolution of the public inquiry that assessed the competences of MEC members as ordered by the Constitutional Court on February 3.

The Constitutional Court declared the commissioners incompetent in the discharge of their duties of  managing elections and ordered PAC to conduct hearings to assess if they are up to the task ahead of a presidential election rerun by July 2.

But Ansah has since said the current MEC is all set to organise the fresh polls

During the television interview, Ansah said the commission has a deficit but was quick to say they are working with Treasury and development partners to help provide the deficit.

She has also assured the nation that they will run the fresh presidential election within the stipulated time, a departure from their earlier plan to have additional days.

NICE Public Trust Executive Director Ollen Mwalubunju and the Malawi Electoral Support Network – MESN Chairperson Steve Duwa, separately on Thursday that there is now nothing they can do on civic and voter eduction following absence of the electoral calendar

MEC commissioners include  Ansah, Mary Nkosi, Elvey Mtafu, Moffat Banda, Yahaya M’madi, Linda Kunje, Jean Mathanga,  the Reverend Clifford Baloyi and the Reverend Killion Mgawi.

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