JZU Tembo tells MEC chair to step down: ‘Save Malawi from bloodshed’

Former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) strongman John Tembo has given a rare media interview, telling embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Jane Ansah to resign voluntarily to save Malawi from destruction and bloodshed.

Ansah  has been facing calls for her to resign for allegedly compromising herself and mismanaging the May 21 Tripartite Elections and purportedly favouring President Peter Mutharika.

Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, rejected any calls for her to resign on principle, saying she will wait for the court’s judgement on the matter to decide whether to call it quits.

But Tembo said she must step down.

“She is not the only one who can do that job. She better resign,” said Tembo.

He adds many voices both political and apolitical who are calling for the resignation of Ansah for presiding over an election marred with irregularities and vote result rigging.

Tembo said it was not good that people should be dying, property destroyed all because of one person.

He said there are many professionals who can ably handle her position.

In a speech monitored on taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Television on Wednesday, President  Peter Mutharika observed that demonstrations, mainly organised and led by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to force Ansah to resign, have often turned violent, creating an atmosphere of  lawlessness and anarchy in the country.

“All this is happening because some irresponsible opposition people who lost in the elections are creating anarchy in this country and they better stop. I will not allow them to turn this country into a jungle. Whoever is breaking the law will one day answer for it. I promise that,” said Mutharika.

Mutharika said this when he presided over the launch of the 2019/20 National Forestry Season at Nkando in Mulanje.