JB ‘confident’ of winning Malawi 2014 polls: I have no competitor, won’t rig elections
Malawi President Joyce Banda said she was “very confident” of victory in the 2014 presidential elections, firmly declaring that she did not see any formidable competitor in the fight for State House.
Banda made the remarks Saturday in Bangwe township, Blantyre where she officially launched the public works programme, inspected the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (Macoha) weaving factory and donated 1,000 bags of 20 kg maize flour and another 1,000 bags of 50 kg maize to the hunger stricken and party supporters respectively.
The Malawi leader therefore parried away suggestions that the alignment of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) under the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) was meant to rig the 2014 polls.
She said her appointment of Vice-president Khumbo Kachali as head of Electoral Commission (EC), is just a delegation of duties, which normally are run by the OPC.
“Constitutionally, it is the Office of the President and Cabinet that coordinates the operations of the Electoral Commission in terms of provision of resources to ensure smooth conduct of elections.
“Previously, it was the President who oversaw that aspect but I have appointed Vice President Khumbo Kachali to take charge of that. This does not mean that the OPC is directly involved in day-to-day running of the electoral body,” she explained.
“I cannot rig elections because I don’t have any opponent. I decided to place EC under Kachali to smooth operations and ensure that we have properly organized elections in 2014,” Banda said.
Banda then said the People’s Party (PP) and herself would win the next elections due in 2014 with a landslide based on the resonance of their politics with the people.
“I have struck massive rapport with the grassroots; I am a grassroots President and I will always identify with the poor masses,” she said.
Other speakers at the event were Home Affairs Minister Uladi Mussa, MP Henry Shaba who President Banda declared as PP candidate or 2014 and T/A Machinjiri.
The event was attended by Senior Chief Malemia, T/A Kapeni and T/A Machinjiri as well as Blantyre City Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ted Nandolo, DC for Blantyre district, Charles Makanga.
During the event, Banda also gave out 1,000 bags of maize flour to the identified hunger stricken residence in Bangwe.
