Ansah tells Malawi presidential hopefuls: ‘Only one winner in elections’

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Jane Ansah has advised presidential candidates for the July 3 fresh elections that there is one winner in an election and those who will not succeed should know this fact.

Ansah made the remarks at the Soche International Conference Centre in Blantyre on Wednesday as MEC started to receive nomination papers from presidential hopefuls.

She made a same statement when she received nomination papers as the exercise started with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera and his running mate, Vice President Saulos Chilima of UTM Party. They were followed by Peter Driver Sinosi Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) and independent candidate Ras Chikomeni Chirwa.

Ansah urged presidential candidates to conduct peaceful campaign and stop politics of mud-slinging and that it’s the duty of candidates to also sensitize citizens on how to vote.

“In elections only one candidate wins. Confine yourself to issue based and clean campaign,” she said.

Ansah said “Malawians are tired of mudslinging and foul-mouthed electioneering.”

She urged the candidates to champions a cause for a clean campaign.

The MEC chairwoman also committed her embattled commission that it will strike to manage a “free, fair and credible elections” to the satisfaction for all candidates and all stakeholders.

Ansah said the electoral body will scrutinize the nomination papers and declare eligibility after seven days.