HRDC accuses Attorney General of suffocating Malawi fresh elections

May 26, 2020 Watipaso Mzungu -Nyasa Times 22 Comments

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) says the sitting Attorney General (AG) Kalekeni Kaphale is the worst legal advisor to the government and the biggest deterrent to the entrenchment of democracy and good governance in Malawi.

Trapence (sitting second from left and gesturing) stressing a point during the press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday-.-Photo by Watipaso Mzungu, Nyasa Times
A cross-section of journalists that attended the briefing from different media houses–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu,, Nyasa Times

HRDC chairperson Gift Trapance has also condemned Kaphale for allegedly choosing to play partisan politics through the advice it supposedly gives to the government machinery.

Trapence made the remarks in Lilongwe on Tuesday during a media briefing where they announced the postponement of the May 28 nationwide demonstrations.

The protests were planned to force the former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah to resign from her position following the outcome of the Supreme Court of Appeal in the high profile presidentialeElections appeal case.

“HRDC feels our Attorney General has a hand in the tactics government is playing to delay the fresh presidential election. It’s sad that he is doing that because the courts already found him compromised and; thus, we are not going to allow that he should take this country at ransom,” said Trapence.

“The coalition will not entertain any delaying tactics for the upcoming presidential elections,” he vowed.

Billy Mayaya, who is the HRDC chairperson for the Centre, said Malawians need to be worried that Kaphale is evolving into another ‘Jane Ansah’ of the country.

Mayaya warned that should the AG continue ‘misleading the country’, coalition will not hesitate to mobilize citizens to go on the streets to demand his removal from the position.

In the meantime, the HRDC chairperson has asked President Peter Mutharika to honour his promise that Malawi will have a new MEC Commissioners by June 5 2020.

Trapence emphasized that should the President fail to do so, the coalition will mobilize to hold demonstrations at the State House.

“We feel the Mutharika administration wants to delay the fresh election so that he continues to rule this country beyond his mandate. They want to use a constitutional crisis the failure of holding the poll in 150 days will create to cling to power; and, we are not allowing that,” vowed Trapence.

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22 replies on “HRDC accuses Attorney General of suffocating Malawi fresh elections”

  2. HRDC, MCP, UTM why do you want to do things using shortcuts? We have laws that govern everything. Its Parliament that is mandated to form laws of the land not individuals. And by saying Parliament we mean every elected member of that August House including your own members. Go to Parliament and set a date, deliberate until you reach a consensus. That’s it. Osamangofuna kupanga zachipwirikiti always ife tatopa nazo zopusa zanu za ma demozo

  5. KAPHALE IS AN EMBARRASSMENT NOT ONLY TO THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BUT ALSO TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION.HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF HIS OFFICE.HE NEEDS TO BE FORCED OUT OF OFFICE LIKE JANE ANSAH.

  6. No issues here,whether they delay or they do what its only 150 days.
    If those days elapse know for Sure, Army is taking over,basi nkhani yatha

  8. Why is it that the opposition HRDC, MCP, UTM are fearing parliament? The court rulings have constitutional implications which parliament has to debate and vote on. Judges dont make laws. Parliament does.

  9. HRDC, MCP and UTM are used to bribing judges. The election date is a constitutional issue to be debated and voted by parliament not just Legal Committee with a bunch of fellow idiots imposing a date.

  10. Please, read what Edge Kanyongolo, a legal expert has said. A committee of parliament is NOT parliament. Parliament is the whole house. The date for elections will be debated and voted on. The problem with HRDC is you think you know it all. Musova

  12. Your solution all the time is going on the street, why, because you give passport to thieves to steal and destroy property for innocent malawians and you think that is democracy. You will be surprised when your mission fails. God is God.

  13. A few disgruntled individuals. Alwz causing confusion and destruction in the Country. Jane wakuonetsani Nyekhwe

  15. HRDC Morons, Kaphale watani?? Or r u just trying to find someone so that u do ur demos under his name?? Ha ha ha. So the next demos will b Kaphale must fall right??? Ha ha ha. Ana a Mbuzi inu….

  16. HDRC don’t take us for a ride tell us what rules have been broken osamangolankhula without pointing out the flouted section of the constitution

  17. Mcp members in the parliamentary committee didn’t want the attorney Generals input and they have goofed yet again on writing to MEC. They are not parliament, but a committee of parliament, the date has to be debated by the whole house and voted on. No shortcuts paja the court set rigid standards for these elections. Kulibe kumazakana results mukaluza on technicalities. Kuluza kuluza basi. New Mec chairperson,new commissioners zonse proper. Palibe kulira andibela

    1. The same parliament set 19 May for the elections but Jane Ansah, the supreme court judge was advised by Kaphale not to accept that date and went further to set 2 July which all stakeholders accepted. Mr. Kaphale came back and advised Jane Ansah to change the date from 2July to the 23June. Now we have the same Kaphale advising that it is Parliament that sets the date for the election. The question is, what happened to the date of 19th May? We are all like children playing a merry go round because Kaphale thinks he is the only intelligent person in Malawi. We have a president who is refusing to sign the parliamentary bills, we have the electoral commission that changes the election dates now and again yet we have the AG who is supposed to give advise on these matters to the president instead he is busy playing politics. Kunali Jane Ansah ku dziko kuno, pano ali kuti? Mudzizifunsa zimenezi.

      1. Incase you don’t understand 19 May was no feasible because the respondents also had a right to appeal the judgement. Same way if Mcp and Utm were the ones sued they would have the same opportunity.The judges failed to take this into account because they chose sides

  18. He is just trying to give advise on what the court determined. Give him breathing space.

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