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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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