Chilima no-holds barred talk: ‘DPP stole MEC cameras, Dausi burnt pollster warehouse’

UTM Party presidential candidate Saulos Chilima has said the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Closed- Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were stolen on Tuesday by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) operatives.

Speaking in northern district of Chitipa, Chilima told the DPP to give back the cameras to MEC.

“They should return the cameras back to MEC. MEC needs them,” said Chilima.

He said it was the same DPP which burnt the MEC warehouse in 2014 and destroyed ballot boxes scheduled for a vote recount in the disputed parliamentary election results for Lilongwe City South East Constituency to conceal rigging evidence.

“Actually it was Nicholas Dausi who led the whole operation. But the fact remains that they cannot rig the elections now.

“They should forget about rigging the elections this time around. These are kids, these are amateurs,” said Chilima.

Dausi was director of the state intelligence service when the burning of the warehouse took place.

MEC declared Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Bentley Namasasu as winner of the parliamentary poll with 10 956 votes against Malawi Congress Party’s (MCP) Ulemu Msungama who amassed 10 854, a difference of 102 votes.

The botched ballot boxes were due for a hearing in court which followed after a failed recount due to an injunction restraining MEC from going ahead with the process.

The court later ruled for a re-run which MCP’s Msungama won clean.

Police failed to investigate the matter as the DPP was in power.

MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa asked for more time before making a comment but said no computer was stolen during the break in.

Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said the police are investigating the break in.

DPP spokesperson Dausi dismissed Chilima’s assertion that the break in was the work of the ruling party, saying the vice president was merely doing political mudslinging.

Dausi also dismissed the veep allegation that the Homeland Security minister was behind the burning of MEC warehouse, telling the UTM leader to go to court.

“We cannot be answering to everything what Chilima is saying, then it will not be a campaign. He (Chilima) has the right to speak what he wants. Let him continue,” said Dausi.

About 6.59 million voters are expected to vote this year, with over half of the eligible voters being youths and women.

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