HRDC officials buy iron chains, locks to shut down MEC offices

Rights activists, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) leadership has bought iron chains and locks to seal off Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) offices across the country during protests on Thursday.

As HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo and vice chairperson Gift Trapence were at Lilongwe market buying the iron chains and the locks, MEC chairperson Jane Ansah was facing the parliamentary Public Appointments Committee (PAC) disciplinary hearing which wants to determine if the pollster is capable to hold a Constitutional Court sanctioned fresh election in five months time.

Mtambo told vendors and others who surrounded the HRDC team to turn up in large numbers for the protests.

“This will be peaceful, no violence. We just want to force these commissioners out of office and the government should hire new commissioners,” said Mtambo to the applause of the people.

The Constitutional Court ordered for the annulment of the presidential election and ordered a fresh one following irregular and anomalies which had been so widespread, systematic and grave that the integrity of the results had been seriously compromised.

Malawi has received international applause for the Constitutional Court ruling which observers say it is a sign that the country’s democracy is thriving and entrenching.