Malawi govt cancel voter registration to safeguard ‘right to life’: Covid-19 could mar fresh election
Malawi government has cancelled the the voter registration exercise for July 2 presidential fresh elections and also banned market days in villages with immediate effect due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Malawi has so far recorded eight cases of Covid-19 with one death and fears are that the number could surge with more testing.
The special Cabinet Committee chairperson Minister of Health, Jappie Mhango said there is need to safeguard “the right to life.”
He said voter registration may aggravate the spread of the virus and hence the decision cancel it.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah already conceded that it might be difficult to conduct the polls due to coronavirus pandemic.
She said the outbreak—which has resulted in President Peter Mutharika declaring a State of Disaster—might impact of the process leading to the electoral body failing to conduct the election within the timeframe of 150 days as stipulated by the Constitutional Court (Concourt) on February 3.
Meanwhile, Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi has said the nation should seek divine intervention.
“We need to turn to God,” said Dausi.
He told the news conference that “people should smear themselves with ashes and cry to God to have mercy on Malawi.
“We’re already poor, if it (Coronavirus) spreads we will all die, let’s work together.”
No question! Shame opposition..apa kulira kwanu kukupitilira.Pepani ananfedwa a opposition.This is what we call the ‘Hand of God’s’. Livingstonia synod pemphelani Corona ithe..Kodi sinu anthu aMulungu?muuzeni Mulengi wa Livingstonia synod mumamutumukila mukufuna MCP ilowe m’boma athese corona.Shame! APM make sure no nonsense about this.Elections shall come once corona is over all over the world.Period!
today we are anamalira but just wait you will become BIG NAMALIRA, dpp you making everything possible to cancel elections behind corona. Just one day you will wish the stone falls on you just one day
Mr Dausi, If people must smear themselves with ash, why should they be washing their hands ( si utchisi umenewu) ? I and my family count us out on this. We will continue usng santzer.
Jappie and Dausi cannot cancel elections. Under which Law? Why are they not cancelling shopping and so many other activities that are underway. People can register, one meter apart on the line, washing of hands before entering the centre, and masks for registration team.
Why don’t they also cancel Admarc buying and selling of produce?
APM, you can try to run and hide behind Coronavirus but no matter what, time will come soon when you will have to leave state house old man and that is the day you will face the music……smell the coffee old man.
Voter registration can continue, you do not need 100 people to register at the same minute, social distancing can be practiced during voter registration.
The cancellation is clear evidence of a well orchestrated campaign to stop the election from happening in July, period. The problem is that someone some day will have to answer for these contempt of court decisions. You should have gone back the the courts to seek extension of the 150 days to hold the elections at a latter date before taking a unilateral decision to cancel the registration.
We also know that you are cancelling the registration now because you have almost completed the registration in the south and you know that if the courts does not accept to extend the 150 days it will be the opposition that will suffer because less people have registered in the central and northern regions. These are obviously tactics of evil people not God chosen leaders.
Why not let the people of Malawi chose their own leaders rather than imposing yourself on them by using corrupt machinations.
APM, there is God in heaven and one day very soon he will answer the prayers of so many Malawians….please do yourself a favour and leave state house while you are still breathing, do not leave office as your brother did just because of greed and the love of money.
We are still doing verification. Please dont confuse people
Despite having more than 5000 deaths in our country that is USA here in Wisconsin, we are voting today. So what is the problem with tiny Malawi. Someone wants to continue ruling for life through dirty tactics.
that is why you are dying .
Wisconsin and Malaŵi are worlds apart. The two can’t be compaired. Malaŵi is resource-poor. It’s simply ill-prepared should it be by COVID-19, the way it has done with the U.S. We don’t have even test-kits in the hospitals and other strategic places. We don’t have the PPEs being touted in developed countries. If it hits us the way it’s doing in New York State many people will die. It’ll be a catastrophe. Prevention is the best way possible since there’s still no treatment. Elections can wait. People’s lives cannot. Elections aren’t held in a war situation. This is war against an invisible enemy. President Trump is always talking about COVID-19 war every time He was even shocked to hear about the Wisconsin elections at a time like this. You will be in the safety of social distancing and isolation (difficult to implement in poor countries like Malaŵi) and people will be dying here. Maybe it’s hitting you hard in the U.S., New York especially, many dying every day because it’s following the corona worn on its head by the Statue of Liberty on New York harbour
whether one likes it or not Malawi will hold fresh elections on 02/07, bro Malawi is sick and tired of the current regime, only thos e that are busy steeling money cannot see how Malawi would wish to change leadership. what about in the bank they tell us to keep social distance. i think we can also maintain it during elections. as for me i suppose the idea that we go for fresh elections, bro
Kandulu iwe nde utiuti. Ndikupitira ku inbox chimwene. Anthu mwapita kukapanga ganyu kenaka mutisokosere. Hahahaha bro you don’t vote like we do. Ifeyo we still use archaic ways of voting so please understand us. Even the laws we are using to declare state of national disaster are archaic.
It looks like everybody here is emotionally happy about government stopping elections. You should ask legal practitioners as to what would be the best possible way to postpone the elections because the court is still sticking to 150 days whether one likes it or not. It has nothing to do with Covid-19. Electoral Commission (EC) can go to court and tell the court that it will not be able to conduct an election in 150 days given the prevailing situation. Unfortunately everybody knows this EC is void of running a credible election anyways. The judges would still ask why has it taken them so long when in fact they could have done this election by now.
We can not afford to spend billions of dollars on useless election when money is required for corona virus. The Govt should immediately take this money to buy rapid testing equipment.
So the Only Social Distancing Measure they could come up with is Cancellation of Registration ….Go to Limbe or Bt Market tomorrow and see whether people are sitting 100 metres apart….Kutatokhala ku ma Bank ndie tikumatofola panzere panja ….100metres between people osakwananso….If people did not get it when Registering for Elections they will get it in the market place or while on a queue waiting to get into a Bank …or on a queue kokatunga Mazi ….Social Distancing Measure must not apply to Elections Only if Indeed your Intention is to stop Spreading of the Corona Virus ….
So the 1 metre social distancing measure applies Only to Elections …What about markets are sellers and buyers 1m apart ? What about people buying Water in the hood are they 1 m apart,what about people queing outside a bank are they 1m apart….We need a Doctors in that briefing not Alarmists nanga azitiuza kuti Tizole phulisa ,tonse tifa…..How does a message like that assist in fighting Corona….
Good decision. Life is precious. No need to destroy our country because of a useless election imposed by power hungry morons (Chakwera and Chilima) with the help of corrupt judges.
After 150 days APM will be ex-president and Chief Justice will take over. CONSTITUTIONALISM.
There is no provision for Chief Justice taking over as president in our constitution. Our courts and judges don’t make laws. Changing the constitution requires two-thirds majority in parliament. Gotani had a rude awakening when she failed to get two-thirds majority. All this, is exposing how myopic our judges are.
Something these bunch of fools do not know. Leave them
your opinion
Social distancing can be practiced in village markets; just like “shifts” have been introduced in offices. But banning market days (whatever that means) altogether is the height of stupidity. The problem with the DPP is that it acts first, and thinks later. Village life revolves around markets, how can one even begin to think of banning these markets?? Tobacco markets can remain open, but village food markets should be closed??
Voter Registration Cancelled.
A decision in the right direction finally.
Much more needs to be done immediately as virtually the whole world has gone for the ‘Lockdown’ strategy.
We have very limited resources on all fronts so the sensible and logical decision is a TOTAL lockdown
God Bless Mother Malawi !
True. The whole world has gone into lockdown. Rich countries are panicking and struggling. Malawi needs to prevent further spread and a lockdown is the only effective way.
Government has no powers to stop the voter registration just like that although the reason for doing so may be good. Voter registration is part of the preparations for the presidential election sanctioned by the ConCourt. What the administration should have done was to go to the same court to seek advice. It would have been up to the court to recommend cancellation in the wake of the coronavirus if the authority presented convincing reasons. Dictators will do as much as possible to circumvent democratic values and cling to power behind this pandemic.
There is no need for government or MEC to go to the corrupt and biased courts because Ansah went there TWICE to ask for a stay. What did the stupid judges do. DECLINED. They did not want to listen to MECs reasoning on the timing of the polls. They were bribed and biased – they wanted Chilima and Chakwera to get power. Today, both Concourt and Supreme court judges have been exposed as narrow-minded. It is as simple as that. Don’t blame APMs government – registration can’t happen when coronavirus is spreading in our country.
One of the presidents core duties is the safeguard the rule of law…
Malawi has not supreme leader, therefore no need to criticise the law interpreters (Judges).
This the right way to go. Protect lives first, politics later.
I dont know kuti lockdown ku malawi kuno meant kuti school zokha so what meaning is it????
when internationally,countries are specifying what citizens need to observe in the lockdown period.
now we see Mec with the devastation to hail their DPP to continue ruling as interim, lots of money aid com8ng in that ends up in their pockets,bank accounts.
KANANI.
Hey, we are becoming a laughing stock world wide because the tops think the information is only dispensed to malawians.
THIS IS A GL9BAL EMERGENCY
I mean if we are following.
sizacipani kuti anthu muzivala ma colours a cipani ,total IDIOTS.
What will happen if(when) we all die? ……….(the virus will have nothing to do!)
Let’s pray hard for this pandemic..let us put politics aside and work together inorder to win this war.
U president amavomeleza Mulungu. When God says no, it is no. When God says yes, it is yes. God is the Almighty. Read the bible carefully. Amen!!!
Elections panonso?? Life first.. let’s deal with corona .. chakwera and chilima a sovenge..
Elwctions will go on
We hear ma bakhar very happy with cov 19
Munya
We knew NTCHONA would find a way to illegally cling on to power.
God knows the state of His creation at all times.
God listens to those who are faithful to Him
God does not listen to sinners, who refuse to heed His commandments.
Before asking God to intervene, let us examine our hearts, and confess our sons and iniquities.
Those who put their trust in Him may fall down but He extends His mighty hand to them, get up.
True believers will draw comfort from Psalms 91.
Did government consult other electoral stakeholders in coming up with this decision? Election is not a concern of government only. In fact government does not take part ( compete) in any election but political parties. The move is indeed a good one but should not be done by one side of interested parties. After 150 days the court should give direction as to how the country is governed. The current president is there by operation of the law but the same law says one can only be president if elected. APM’s mandate ended on 21 May 2019.
Do we need elections now????
We voted already and chose the president. we don’t want to do the same exercise again and this is what God is telling us. Otherwise we will all perish if we refuse to hear what God is telling us.
Cadet kumva kukoma. Bola corona isafike ku sanjikako!!!!!!!!!!!
MA FILIMU ONSE OPPOSITION YAWATULUKIRA!!
KAYAMBIRENU KU THYOLO ULENDO UNO!!
But Yona Chakwera will not listen to this he wants to occupy the State House soon not later – infact he is not worried with the pandemic corona-virus looming in the country just listen to his speeches. People should understand this that the Covid 19 is a dreaded disease which is fatal and we need to be very carefull infact we will loose nothing if the presidential elections are totally cancelled for this year. If we are to open our spiritual eyes we see that God is not happy with what is happening to this country and it’s because of disobidience and actually that’s why we are having such hindraces to the electral process. As people of this Nation Malawi we need to humbly come back to God and repent for our sinful actions.
Mr evil
Govt. should not interfere with elections, its only the commission and stakeholders that can decide. Mr.Dausi don’t instill fear into the population for DPP to delay presidential elections.Govt should do the needfull by buying the required medical gear and drugs and also insist on hygene. The death Rate of Covid 19 remains at less than 1% worldwide.
That’s in order…..right to live outweighs right to elect someone
iam smelling a rat in all this, nde aja akimagula zitupa aja asiyeso . wake up malawi goverment has banned voter registration while behind closed doors akupanga register under age people so when they reopen this registration azakahala amaliza zaozo.
is the dead person a bonafide malawian
mwapha anthu angati aDausi inu kuti mutchule Mulungu lero?
100% perfect