Defiant MEC commissioners including Ansah will not resign – Kunje

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) outspoken commissioner Linda Kunje has said the commissioner, including its chairperson, Justice Jane Ansah, will not resign until they finish their contract in late June this year despite the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously agreed that the management of the 2019 cancelled elections failed to meet constitutional tests due to a litany of irregularities.

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) and opposition leaders reiterated calls for Ansah and her commissioners to resign immediately and make way for a new commission to administer the new elections slated for July 2.

Commissioner Kunje told reporters that despite upholding the ConCourt judgment, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM lawyers failed to prove to court that elections were rigged.

Kunje wondered why their incompetence should be seen on the presidential elections only and not on the parliamentary and local government elections because they were run by the same commissioners.

“We performed our duties accordingly. Even the petitioners failed to prove to the court if the elections were rigged. Therefore we don’t see a reason to resign. We shall be here till our contract expires [June 2020],” said Kunje.

She said those calling for their resignations are just wasting their time because they’re there to serve Malawians.

On HRDC demos threat, Kunje said as commissioners they don’t see anything strange as they already had an oath of office to serve Malawians in bad or good environment.

The Constitutional Court delivered its February ruling amid tensions in Malawi after the disputed election sparked seven months of protests and the worst political crisis since the country’s return to democracy in 1994.

Despite political turmoil and alleged attempts to bribe its judges, the Constitutional Court made history by becoming the second court in sub-Saharan Africa, after Kenya, to overturn presidential elections.