Malawi election chief downplays Chilima ‘rigging’ claims: Dausi says ‘its mere political tantrums’
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has played down claims by Vice-President Saulos Chilima that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is planning to an attempt to subvert the will of the people in next year’s elections, saying the electoral process will be transparent and no room for fraudulent results.
Chilima said when he launched his United Transformation Movement (UTM) in Lilongwe that he is aware that government has procured a spying machine meant to record phone-call conversations through the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), saying all this was out of desperation to rig elections.
The former Chief Executive Officer for one of the country’s biggest mobile telecommunication providers, Airtel, said said: “Machine anuwo ngati mukuti mubera mavoti mwauponda [If you think you will rig elections using the spy machine you are wasting your time]”.
But Ansah has dismissed the rigging claims, saying the electoral process will remain transparent to the very end.
“Our processes are transparent. Everyone will be allowed to witness what is happening and it is very difficult for me to respond because I don;t knpw how that machine, if at all there is one will work,” said Ansah.
She said the remarks by Chilima are merely an allegation without objective evidence.
“As far as I am concerned, our processes are going to be transparent, everybody will witness what will happen and there is no room for anybody to tamper with polling and the results,” Ansah said.
Ansah said it will not do anything on the rigging claims because they are merely podium politics unless an official complaint is lodged with details
Malawi government and DPP spokesman Nicholous Dausi said they h ave no plans whatsoever to rig elections as alleged.
“The allegations are baseless, fallacious and mere political tantrums,” Dausi said.
Malawian are set to go to the polls on May 21 2019 to vote in a new government.
Menawhile, the electoral body is conducting voter registration in second phase.
Speaing on Monday in Dowa District to when she visited some registration centers to monitor the vote registration exercise and appreciate the challenges being faced, Ansah took time to respond to some of the concerns people had and assured them that all the challenges are being rectified.
Ansah encouraged people with with physical disabilities to register, saying: “The physically-challenged and people with special needs have to be given priority during registration. Therefore, I am encouraging everyone to register because it is your right and your vote counts”.
Some of the centres Ansah visited included Mkukula, Chinkhuti, Mponela 1 and 2.
The phase two of voter registration is taking place in Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Dowa and Mchinji which started on 13 July and is expected to wind up on 26 July
Phase three is expected start July 30 in Lilongwe Rural and City and end on 12 August .
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Chilima,do not waver about your critics as these people have lost dignity and equilibrium.It is an open case that the name Dausi is tantamount to evil and misguiding,I can say that the whole of DPP executive is full of dead-woods including its leader Muthalika.Dausi,one of the country’s killer-rogue, endeavouring to defend his boss to appease him.The fact of the matter is that Peter and his brother Bingu are the national shame and this must be a warning gesture to all Malawians not to just trust someone because you are people of the same tribe or ethnicity in the sense that… Read more »
The truth is that Chilima is now afraid that what he did when he was in DPP in now going to happen again.
Zonse ndi zoona pomwe zimagulidwa Chilima analipo komwe anaika Chilima akudziwako. Ansah kunalibe usakane munya muona. Peter anali bwenzi lako sunganene zoona
When has Ansah become the spokesperson for DPP? Why is she defending DPP? No this is uncalled for.
There is no Rigging of elections, Chilima is simply talking about it on political grounds.
No smoke without fire. Don’t take Chilimas remarks lightly. Muzahita manyazi madam chairperson. The best MEC Chairperson for this country is Anastazia Msosa basi. Zinazi ndi manyaka
Ansah akudziwapo kanthu. Who in their right mind would admit that there is foul play planned. Even the most powerful president Donald Trump can testify. If pushed politicians always default to a scripted response “allegations baseless fallacious and mere political tantrums” to “fake news”. We should know by now that such responses indicate deeper discomfort with the truth.
Ansah seems to be “know all person” What evidence does she have that there will be no rigging? There are things she might not know at this point in time, and the best thing is to take her time, make better analysis of situation. Padali anzanu analira nazo okuba atawazunguza mutu despite the whole process looked smooth. Unless you are part of the rigging process, but I will advice you to take these claims in a sober and objective manner.
If M.E.C is saying the truth and or ignoring what Chilima said, let them reopen those first centers in the central.
We are watching you big time.
Becareful mama azanu analira an expected tachita ndi mbava za DDP. Be vigilant with the whole process these thieves knows with fare election that can win since they have one nothing apart from kuba kuba kuba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!