HRDC impressed with parliamentary meet over ‘Ansah must fall’

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Timothy Mtambo has described as successful the grouping meeting with parliament’s Public Appointments Committee (PAC) Thursday in Lilongwe.

Mtambo said having heard reasons why HRDC wants Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah out of office, the rights activists hoped the committee would move in to recommend her removal from office.

The Parliament’s PAC has powers to recommend to President Peter Mutharika, the appointing authority, to remove Ansah from office.

Chairperson of the Committee, Collins Kajawa refused to divulge details of the meeting.

“Issues which the HRDC officials presented need some investigations. Until we do the investigations, I cannot comment now,” he said.

Kajawa, however said his committee will summon Ansah and MEC commissioners over resignnation calls.

“As a committee, we have planned to consult the MEC Chairperson and other commissioners to hear their side of the story through dialogue,” he said.

HRDC has been organizing anti-Jane Ansah demnstrations to force the Supreme Court judge resign as MEC chairperson.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Mutharika said he cannot fire Ansah because she has done nothing wrong as international election observers, including the US, said the election was free, fair, credible and transparent.