Commissioner Elvey Mtafu exposes incompetency at Malawi Electoral Commission

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner Elvey Mtafu has exposed how incompetent the pollster is as she failed to respond basic questions regarding her job.

Mtafu appeared before the parliamentary Appointments Committee which is holding the Constitutional Court ordered hearing to find out the competency of the commissioners following a flawed May 21 presidential election.

She could not answer basic questions such as the lawyers for the commission as well as what transpired during the commission’s last meeting.

On the names of lawyers that read and made a summary of the judgement to the commission, Ntafu says she has forgotten some names

“But I remember this name [Tamando] Chokotho. He came and  said that his other colleagues were tied up elsewhere.”

However, Mtafu contradicted another commissioner Bishop Mary Nkosi who earlier told the committee that the decision to appeal against the Constitutional Court was not made by the whole team of nine commissioners.

The committee has told her to appear before the committee again on Friday and should be well prepared.

“. I was prepared but you may be aware that I had no information on the contents of our meeting that is why I might be skipping some questions,” Mtafu said.

Some of the questions raised to here were:

Question: As a commissioner, who do you work for?

Ntafu: I work for the people.

Q: Are you accountable to Malawians?

Ntafu: Yes I am.

Q: Who communicates the decisions of the commission to stakeholders?

Ntafu: She did not answer the question

Earlier on the PAC heard from Commissioner Bishop Mary Nkosi on how May 21 2019 elections were handled.

Other Commissioners expected to appear before the Committee are Jean Mathanga, Elvey Mtafu, Rev. Dr. Killion Mgawi, Ambassador Yahaya M’madi, Justice Dr. Jane Ansah, Ms. Linda Kunje, Dr. Moffat Banda and Rev. Clifford Baloyi.

The Constitutional Court ruled that the May 21 presidential election was marred with irregularities and anomalies which had been so widespread, systematic and grave that the integrity of the election results had been seriously compromised.

The court then ordered the parliamentary hearing to find out if the state should fire the commissioners for incompetency or not.