Ben Phiri tells Thyolo ‘incase of re-run be ready to vote DPP again’
As the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) will on Monday February 3 2020 deliver the landmark judgement where the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera and UTM’s Saulos Chilima are challenging the results of last year’s presidential election, governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections, Ben Phiri has said in case the court orders a re-run, the party followers must be ready to vote again.
Phiri, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, was addresseing DPP followers in his Thyolo Central Constituency on Friday
He urged them to be calm, regardless of the verdict.
“During the last elections, this area alone has 42 000 leigible voters. But only 32 000 registered and out of that only 20 000 voted. This was the case in many areas where DPP has support. So, in the unlikely event that the elections are nullified, we just have to register and vote in large numbers so that we defend what is rightfully ours,” Phiri was quoted by the Stat- run MBC as having told the constituents.
He, however, said in case the court orders a re-run, the party followers must be ready to vote again.
Phiri was a key witness to President Peter Mutharika, who is first respondent in the presidential election case, and in his testimony he admitted electoral flaws in May 21 2019 elections that included officers filling in inappropriate boxes of the tally sheets because of failure to understand some terminologies.
He also admitted use of Tippex, duplicate forms and alterations of results on tally sheets by some polling staff but told the ConCourt that Tippex was used correctly.
During his testimony, he was also made to read out his sworn affidavit, which stated that auditors which the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) hired to scrutinise and certify the electoral process, rejected many of the tally sheets because of missing signatures of some political parties.
But, according to Phiri, MEC gave the DPP permission to approve all papers if they only had signatures of presiding officers.
Meanwhile, the five-judge panel of Healey Potani, Mike Tembo, Dingiswayo Madise, Redson Kapindu and Ivy Kamanga takes to the bench by 9am Monday, February 3 2020 to deliver the momentous judgement.
UTM’s Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s Lazarus Chakwera dragged Mutharika and MEC to court after the DPP leader was declared the winner in the elections.
They allege that the poll results were fraught with irregularities and the electoral process was mismanaged by MEC in favour of Mutharika.
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TRIBALISTIC BEN PIRI AND FAKE DR. YOUR ADVICE IS MISLEADIN AND A PRECITANT TO CIVIL WAR. MOLAKO PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY MALAWIANS, WE ARE ALL MALAWIANS AND NO SECOND CLASS CITIZEN
No need to use the word “incase ” Mr Ben , just know that re-run is inevitable Wether someone like it or not koma tivotatso bansi.
Better atleast u Ben as u have come to your senses kuti mnaberadi zisakho ndiye mnagwidwa.
Apatu woberayo afunika Ban asakhalepo pa re-run.
Waiting for the judgement would be the best way before asking citizens to vote for your party.Your party is tired to develop the country and is taking Malawi to extreme poverty.
IN A FUNCTIONAL DEMOCRACY THE MAJORITY MUST RULE, IN THIS CASE, MALAWI CONGRESS PARTY PRESIDENT DR LAZARUS CHAKWERA WITH HIS COMMANDING MAJORITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE AT STATEHOUSE.
IT IS NOT ABOUT POLITICAL DYNASTY NOR MUNG’ONO WA BINGU SYNDROME.
LET’S WE FORGET, MALAWI ELECTORAL COMMISSION CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER AND HIS DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFEND WINDOW DRESSED ELECTION FIGURES AS WE ALL WITNESSED HOW THEY SWEATED AND STAMMERED IN COURT.
THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE CAN PROUDLY SAY “WE ALL PAY TAXES AND THAT OUR MIGHTY GOD IS FOR US ALL”.
Where do you get the majority voted for this ex-reverend wanyau? Za fake Basi. You will be in for a great disappointment tomorrow, Monday. Just wait.
Ok will see kuswa kuswa
Which majority are you talking about? Majority of fools? Or majority of nyau dancers?
Both chiswa B
no worries Ben. if you remember there was general voter apathy in the south compared to the centre and north. This time around campaign and make sure people just don’t turn up but turn over.
Note that the voter registration in Kasungu Dedza and Salima was deliberately frustrated by Ansah and her henchmen/women. They will register enmass this time round.
This idiot has his place at the old Chichiri prison. As a nyapala.
fresh election not re-run, nyasa bwanji kodi?
Re-run and NOT fresh elections!
tiyeseni phiri, re-run is used to countries that use 50+1method of voting not where majority rule is used, in this case if the court nullifies the election, we will have to conduct fresh election because we use the majority method of voting
Fresh elections not re-run. This means we will register, do verifications, get the ballot papers printed, party reps will go to the printing co. to verify etc. This alone could take not less than 3 months. If appeal is applied by the loosing parties, it could be another added month. If people would force the whole MEC resign and elect new bearers whose chair must be approved by Parliament, this process could see another month passing by. Then another two months for campaign period. I foresee the elections happening in September 2020.