Armed gang ransack MEC centers to stop voter registration: Malawi police arrest 1 suspect

An armed gang in Blantyre on Tuesday morning stormed various voter registration centers, ransacking and destroying equipment belonging to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) accusing it of endangering people’s lives by proceeding with the electoral process amid the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

The registration centers ransacked included Makata, Namalimwe and Blantyre Secondary School.

The action comes amid calls from  secyion of the society including health rights activists  to have the voter registration exercise suspended, saying it  is risking lives of many people amist the virus pandemic.

Executive director for Malawi Health Equity Network, George Jobe, in quotes reported by Voice of America (VOA) said  allowing voters to gather for registration and polling contradicts key coronavirus prevention measures.

The request for MEC to have the electoral process suspended due to Coronavirus hit a blank wall last week, when the Constitutional Court referred the MEC’s request to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Tuesday’s vandalism of the voter registration equipment has forced MEC to stop the exercise in all the affected centers in Blantyre.

Meanwhile, police in Blantyre said they have arrested on suspect in the attacks and are interogatting him.

Malawi has now registered 16 cases of the lethal Covid-19 since the first three cases were diagnosed two weeks ago.

Minister of Health Jappie Mhango  said the government will come up with more strict measures today that would to help fight the pandemic.