Malawi opposition set March 27 ‘day of rage’: To force Ansah, electoral commissioners out
Malawians are bracing for fresh unrest as opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party alliance and its partners have declared Friday 27th March 2020 as a ‘day of rage’ to force Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah and other commissioners resign.
Post-election protesters in the capital Lilongwe march in the streets demanding the resignation of the Malawi Electoral Commssion leader Jane Ansah to step down. (Lameck Masina/VOA)
Opposition accuse Ansah and MEC of presiding over a fraudulent poll in a new bid to force the panel’s chief to quit after the Constitutional court overturned last May’s presidential elections.
Ansah has defiantly said the current electoral commission will manage the Constitutional Court ordered fresh elections slated for July 2.
Addressing a joint news conference in Lilongwe, UTM spokesman Jospeh Chidanti Malunga said the opposition block has christened March 27 2020 as “day of rage”, asking people not to go to work to show that they don’t want Ansah to run the elections.
“ Since we cannot hold street protests due to the threat of the Covid-19 virus, we are calling on all our supporters to stay away from work on Friday.
“Just for one day, we must remind Prof Mutharika and JusticeAnsah that we are tired of them taking us for granted. They do not have power. Power is with the people of Malawi. And the people of Malawi want Electoral Commissioners they can trust,” said Malunga reading a prepared statement.
He said said opposition have also asked their lawyers to go to court on the matter.
“We have instructed our lawyers to commence a constitutional challenge to the continued presence of Justice Ansah and the current Commissioners in the Commission. We shall be asking the Constitutional Court to determine whether it is lawful for Justice Ansah to continue holding her position when the Court and Parliament have clearly stated that she is incompetent,” said Malunga.
He said the judgement was very clear that the Commission mismanaged the 2019 tripartite elections.
“The court ruled that Parliament should Institute an inquiry to look into their competence and the inquiry recommended to President Peter Mutharika to fire them.”
He said this arrogance by the executive is very retrogressive.
Malunga said it has proven that the current MEC commissioners have no mandate to administer the elections.
MCP deputy spokesman Ezekiel Chin’goma said it was time to throw off the yoke of bondage of Ansah in subverting the will of the people.
“We remain in the trenches and will continue to fight to force the current MEC out and have competent people manage the elections,” he said.
Ching’oma said MCP, UTM and its slliance partners will still participate in the elections.
Apart from Ansah, other Mec commissioners are Linda Kunje, Mary Nkosi, Jean Mathanga, Moffat Banda, Yahaya M’madi, Elvey Mtafu, Kilion Mgawi and Clifford Baloyi.
The electoral commission announced Monday that fresh presidential polls will be held on July 2, the 149th day from February 3, the date on which the Constitutional Court nullified the 2019 presidential elections after considering charges of irregularities.
Voter registration for the polls will begin on April 4 and run until June 7 in four phases, Ansah told reporters.
The nomination of candidates for the presidential polls will take place April 23-24 in the southern city of Blantyre, she added.
In a landmark ruling, Judge Healey Potani, chairman of the five-judge panel hearing the case, announced on Feb. 3 that “the presidential results announced on May 27, 2019 are null and void. Fresh elections should be held within 150 days.”
The protests over the polls’ results on many occasions turned violent with looting, damage to property and injuries.
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Writing this on the day of rage. Looks like a day of affirmation to me that Malawians don’t just dance to unnecessary songs by the politicians. Why should a person sacrifice his/her livelihood to help a politician secure his. I mean why should I sacrifice my job for the sake of a politician who is trying to secure a job.
It doesn’t add up. This wasnt thought through. We thought the coalition would bring sanity to both camps to pursue a course which is more appealing. Anthu a ndale simudzatheka.
This is pure madness, they deserve to be taken to mental hospitals before it is too late
MCP and UTM, manyazi bwa. No one is going to boycott work. You have just wasted your time.
Day of rage towards MCP and UTM. Let’s unleash our dismay at the Malawi Crocodile Party and Chilima who is taking us for granted. Why join MCP when UTM has good following.
Iwe Yona Chakwela and your friend Absalomu Chilima inu mukuona kuti pali nzeru apa????? Zooona anthu ajombe kuntchito??? tamuganizilani Mini Bus Driver yemwe amapeza chakudya chalero akapita kuntchito nanga akazajomba ini muzamupatsa chokudya??? Tganizilani ma dotolo ndi ma nurse omwe akuyang’nila azibale athu komanso anu muzipatala zoona azajombe???? Inu mitu yanu ili bwino bwino koma kapena mwachita misala??? Inu taganizilani a Army, a Police ndi a Immigration omwe ntchito yawo ndi kupeleka chitetezo ku dzikoli azajombe kuti mbava zitibele, anthu apange zomwe akufuna??? no no no you two leaders are more than evil – anthu oipa ngati Corona virus –… Read more »
uuuuuuummm
Apm challenged both the Judges of Malawi High Court and Parliament as childish ides. The Judges akulota masana because they dont that APM is Prof. of Law and all them including Judges SC are his Children because he is the one who wrote all that law the what you call Judges are referring to. You will meet South African Lawyers shortly you will see.
Writing is on the Wall DPP. Only 3 months remaining, do not fool yourselves, numbers do not add up. If there are any thinkers and problem solvers in your camp wake up and start working hard. The coming Tsunami will over power you if you continue with your useless type of approach!!!
You do not know what you are talking and Israel coming here themselves NDIZIBWANA ZIMENEZO? Your SC Judges will tie their mouths.
hehehehehdeeeeeeeeeee koma zoona anthu ake ati amene akajombe kuntchito lachisanuwo? koma maloto achumba, mukufuna anthu aluze ntchito eti anzanga ogwira ntchito, palibe thandizo kuchokera ku MCTU AWA AZIPANIWA SAKAKUGULIRANI BONYA, MCP, WHY CANT U RECALL YUR MEMBERS WHO ARE COMMISSIONERS, ZATITOPETSA IFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Following most of the comments on UTM/MCP Alliance, it clearly shows that DPP has employed their cadets to pet more stones on the opposition grand alliance. Unfortunately to them, Malawi is geared for change and there is no reverse to that effect. Therefore, cadets, please keep commenting negatively, attack UTM supporters more for joining hands with MCP for the sake of redeeming Malawi from DPP atrocities, but it won’t change anything.
Viva UTM! Viva MCP! Viva Dr. Laz! Viva SKC
You are right. DPP is trying its best to make negative comments about the MCP/UTM Alliance. They know that change is surely coming in July.