Malawi VP Chilima urge re-examination role of poll observers, calls them  ‘election tourists’

Malawian vice-president and UTM Party V president Saulos Chilima has said the role of international election observers should be redefined before the court sanctioned fresh election, saying the country does not need what he called “election tourists.”

State Vice President Chilima addresses a press conference in Lingwe on Wednesday. Photo by Govati Nyirenda,Mana

Speaking during a news  conference on Wednesday in Lilongwe, Chilima said the “election tourists” will not be welcome in the country during the fresh election in five months time.

“The role of international election observers  need to be redefined or they need to send people who can observe the election. We will not welcome election tourists here,” said Chilima.

He said Malawi has the capacities to monitor and observe its own election.

The observers expressed confidence in the overall process despite some problems and urged defeated candidates to concede gracefully.

Many commentators have echoed Chilima’s statement which puts on trial the international observers who moved fast to sanitize fraud,”alleging that international groups had favored “status quo and ‘stability’ ahead of credible elections.”

The African Union (AU), Sadc and the European Union (EU) were among major foreign observers who declared the May elections free and fair.

Chilima also said he is ready to work in any capacity to improve lives of ordinary people, welcoming the Constitutional Court ruling which reinstated him as vice president.

“We need to move forward as a country. We have had enough of political foolishness; people are dying in hospitals, there is hunger, Malawians are suffering out there,” said Chilima.

He also said that UTM party will use the 2019 manifesto for the fresh election in five months time.

The five High Court judge panel, seating as ConCourt, ordered the fresh election within 150 days from Monday after declaring that President Peter Mutharika was not duly elected as State President.

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KK wa ku Mangochi
4 years ago

Mbeki asazabwelenso ku Malawi. He likes to endorse rubbish. Thats what he did in Zim after Mugabe was defeated but still he endorsed him. Useless old man. We don’t need election tourist. The other problem is this, these tourists always have their preferred candidates even before election commencement. Useless observers.

masoambeta
masoambeta
4 years ago

There’s a young man who lives in Lilongwe. He has a PhD in political science. The small boy was an observer and stupidly put his Facebook status kuti anali observer and chisankho chayenda bwino. This little fanny is an example of what SKC is talking about. Kupusa basi it’s the educated people like him who bleat endlessly on their profiles like they know stuff. Theory ya pa school basi. Ana opusa inu. Malawi needs to move forward and let’s watch those who know and follow them. Don’t pose floundering your bookish knowledge pano. That’s the problem with Malawians.

Forgive them
Forgive them
4 years ago

Amenewa asadzabwelenso kuno,Julius Malema ananena kale kuti, ” there’s no such a thing as sadc,au there’s no such a thing,its a group of old people protecting each other,nde nzosadabwitsa kuti kuno anangofikira kuti zayenda bwino asanaone ndi kufufuza zoona zenizeni.asadzabwelenso

Ian Gumba
Ian Gumba
4 years ago

Especially those that send Mbeki, Mbeki doesn’t think of anybody but only himself. He failed to allow doctors to administer ARVs to country men with HIV so how do you such type of person to think of Malawians. In 2008 he pretended that he did not know anything about xenophobia while his Home Affairs minister phoned him about it happening. Wherever he goes as an election observer there are problems afterwards such as in Zimbabwe, Kenya to mention but a few. He is one of those election tourists for real and he shouldn’t be welcomed in Malawi, please.

Fine
Fine
4 years ago

Excellent, Malawi first. Let the thieves go anywhere and away from Malawi. Iceland may welcome them or some deserts.

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