Law professor says govt should hire new Malawi chief elections officer

A law professor at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi has suggested that the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chief elections officer Sam Alufandika should be fired because he was part of the incompetent commission which courts and parliament blamed for the floppy May 21, 2019 presidential election.

Professor Garton Kamchezera said Alufandika was the head technical head of MEC blamed for the messy election which the courts annulled due to what they said widespread anomalies and irregularities.

“He is the technical head of MEC which has been described as incompetent, he is therefore a danger to the holding of another election,” he said.

Kamchezera also suggested that there should be reforms in the appointment of MEC commissioners, saying political parties should not be given the authority to appoint them as is the case now.

Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee recommended that Alufandika be removed from office and the clerk of parliament Fiona Kalemba temporarily act in his place until the elections are held and a new CEO is hired.

Alufandika refused to comment on the matter.