Ansah still not resigning, keeps her freedom not to express herself
Embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah is not resigning from her position despite continued calls by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) that she goes, saying she is exercising her constitutional right to remain silent on matters surrounding escalating nationwide protests against her.
HRDC is holding demonstrations to Ansah to resign for allegedly mishandling the May 21 elections and handing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Peter Mutharika victory. The results of the elections are being challenged in the Constitutional Court.
Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, already 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.
HRDC are still continuing with ‘Ansah must fall’ protests which have plunged the country into a political impasse which is negatively impacting on the economy.
Ansah, while leading a normal life, has not changed her position not to resign and now is exercising her freedom not to express herself, insisting that she constitutionally has a right to remain silent.
The Weekend Nation newspaper on Saturday August 24 2019 reported that it contacted Ansah on WhatsApp but she said: “No comment”.
According to University of Malawi’s Chancellor College-based constitutional law Professor Edge Kanyongolo, freedom of expression enshrined in the Republican Constitution also includes “freedom not to express yourself.”
And columnist Steve Nhlane in the same paper, states that Ansah has dug in on the strength of the letter and spirit of the law.
“Her stand is that whether or not she mismanaged the elections, is an issue that is in court. Until the court pronounces its verdict, she rightly thinks she is innocent. But the legal or court route is just one of the many paths to the solutions. The more meritorious solution to the matter before the 18.5 million Malawians is not in the legal shenanigans in court.
“The political impasse the country is facing which is negatively impacting the economy needs a political solution. The President should think hard about whom he wants to serve—the interest of one person or 18.5 million Malawians who are suffering? Good leaders promote the larger good,” write Nhlane.
Billions of Kwacha worth of property is being damaged, looted, burned down and stolen every time there are anti-Ansah demonstrations in the country.
HRDC’s next demonstrations have been scheduled from August 26 to 30. Initially, they wanted vigils at airports and the country’s border posts but the High Court through judge Jack N’riva denied the organisers the right to demonstrate at such places.
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KODI ANTHU ENANU KUMVA KUMAKUVUTANI??? NKHANI ILI KU COURT SIYA MAI WANUYI KUTI ATULE PANSI AI.ZISANKHO SIZINAYENDE MOKOMELA AMALAWI AMBIRI…….AND MAI WANU UYU IYE ANALI PAMWAMBA KUSOKONEZA ZINTHU NDIYE IFE AMALAWI TIKUTI AI AWA CHINYENGO ANACHIIKA PATSOGOLO ACHOKE,NDIYE PALINSO NKHANI PAMENEPA? KOMA NDAONA INE APA AMBUYAWO AMAIWA AKUDZIWA KUTI AKACHOKA MAI UYU ZAWO ZADANSO KUPOSA MMENE ZILILI PANO.MORE FIRE MUDZIWANSO……KAYA SIPANO KOMA 5YEARS IYI MUZIWANSO EVEN KU NYUMBA YA MALAMULO.
inde amalawi zionongani malawi wanu chifukwa chofuna udindo. mukamaliza kuononga muzalamulira achewa ndi atumbuka okha okha alomwe onse mutwafinyafinya tikukuonanitu
Malawi is on the map interanationally as a laughing stock. its where the victims gets arrested and the corruptors remain in positions, kuyambila pitala caponda jeni ben phili ma dc ma ps accounyants acina mphwiyo muluzi joice banda, misozi cathunya the list is endless. even kusiyitsidwa ncito anta. now the fuel os spilled and fire is on. akulephela kulozana cala poti ose ali mu licelo limodzi instead akuti atinyenyanyenya ndipo army igwilitse the necessary force on its citizen pomwe iye wangobwera dzana lomweli .pali nzelu apa? nkamwa ngati una wa kapida kuphochokaphochoka. you think ife tikuuopa by saying that??? ma… Read more »
Mtambo, Chakwera, Chilima and Trapence are the ones destroying Malawi. Mulungu akuona. 18 pple are suffering just because of you.
unlike millions suffering because of thieves deeply rooted in Malawi government
Guys inu HRDC you are not above the law by destroying property of fellow Malawians. Chokhacho ndi chimene a Malawi chikuwapsetsa mtima.The government has done its best by not allowing the police to be having arms with live bullets. The best thing for you is to be demonstrating peacefully. Otherwise, you have behaved foolishly so far. Kodi kumeneku ku HRDC sachita impeachment? Ena apiteko anzeru. Tatopa nazo izi. On another note, one reason people have no respect for our police officers is that they are so corrupt. They exort money from individuals under the guise of locking them up. My… Read more »
It’s funny that Jane Ansah had a lot to say before the real facts of just how she messed up the TPE results management started to come out. Now that the audit report is out, she decides to keep silent. Jane Ansah’s reputation is in tatters – clinging to her post as MEC chairperson will not change matters; in fact it just makes matters worse…
The idea is not for Ansah to resign but for Peter to resign. This has been planned on a brick trickling effect. You fall one brick it falls the next until the last. The ultimate goal is the president. So the opposition should not hide behind the finger here. Anakutulukilani kale. Ansah WILL NOT resign. Zifukwa zaotsutsa ndizosakwanila. Ndiposo xosamveka ndikomwe. If Ansah resigns, then what next??? Can they pledge there will be no other demoz???? If there will be then Ansah should not resign. Otherwise aMtambo alembe fundo zawo zose ndianthu ose ofunika apange resign kenako azipita bwino kumseu.
If Jane ansa made a mistake that deserves her resignation then automaticaly Peter is a mistaken president, ndipo usakaike aise Peter is not gonna rule this country.
Peter is already ruling the country. Politics ain’t gonna feed you. The sooner you accept and move on the better. If the courts nullify the election, it’s also alright. Just do your thing.
He is 4 months into his 5 year new term..I Doubt he will go anywhere..you are wasting your time.
He is ruling at Chikokobay? kkkkkk
go ask them for the pledges
JANE ANSA WHERE EVER YOU ARE PLEASE DON’T RESIGN. LEAVE THESE DUNDERHEADS TO ROTE. AKAYESA NDALE NDI MASEWERA EI..ANTHU ADYERA ODZIKONDA AWA AKHALE CHONCHO. THAT’S WHY ANATHAWA KU UBUSA WINA WATHAWA YOGULITSA MA UNITS KUFUNA NDALAMA ZOCHULUKA…GOD IS PUNISHING THEM SEVERELY. SANATI….AYIONA BANGWE
Jane ansah will surely go. She is already out except for the mafia pressure.
Jane ansah is a supreme court judge.DO u know what it’s takes to become a judge of the highest court??.She is not going anywhere man..ndi Mayi wolimba mtima osati masewela.Akagwila mfundo sayisiya.She is not going anywhere.Olo a Chakwera atabibidwa.
Tiona mmene zithere
No Osman, the president does not have to think any more carefully than he normally does! Even Jane Ansah is one of those 18 million Malawians you are talking about!!! she does not get sacrificed for anybody because she is just Malawian as any Malawian and she is subject to the same rights and laws as all Malawians.The question should be the other way round: why do the two party leaders with their spokesperson Mtambo want to destroy a whole country because of one person? Jane has said that she will resign if the court finds her guilty of mismanagement!… Read more »
Greedy person’s comment – be very careful if you are a part of the rot as your family will face the cosquence silently. The whole Malawi will not know but you will know.
Ufiti basi..Let people express their opinions
Anthu a nyau nkukhala kwanu kuopsyeza, kuba, ufiti ndi kuvulaza amzanu timakudziwani mwa chikhalidwe chanu. Apapa mwanenazi dala sitikudabwa, dambwe style.
Thumbs up Nambewe! Most people who are writing on this matter only look at one side and ask the wrong questions. In addition to what you have rightly said. Who is destroying the country – Jane Answer or the demonstrators, who have also gone to court for redress? Do they see our legal system as useless or is it that they know they have no evidence beyond a reasonable doubt? The political solution is clear: change the electoral system not by only targeting the president as they tried to do last year but the whole electoral system including election of… Read more »
Nambewe, You are very right. I totally agree with you my dear
IT IS NOT MTAMBO WHO IS DESTROYING THE COUNTRY. PLEASE A MALAWI REASON LIKE A NORMAL PERSON SOMETIME DON’T SUPPORT FOR THE SACK OF SUPPOTING. ITS PETER AND JANE WHO DESTROYING US A PEOPLE. THERE IS NO LOVE IN THIEVES, SO WHY SHOULD WE BE LOVING THEM. ACHEWA AMATI CHOSAMVA CHINAMVA NKHWANGWA ILI MUTU.
What have they stolen if you can’t prove it..so far in court there is zero evidence ..zongonena pakamwa basi.Miseche ya Gwalidi