Malawi’s ‘Tipp-Ex parliament’ faces court challenge for fresh election
One of the commissioners at Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Linda Kunje has amplified the call by some electoral stakeholders that the court should to scrub out the results of the parliamentary elections and order fresh elections as it did in annulling presidential election, saying the correction fluid Tipp-ex that was used to alter results and the MEC which legislators were condemning ushered most of them into the National Assembly.
Kunje, fearless speaking commissioner, was regarded by Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee (PAC) inquiry as being rude in some of her utterance and action.
But Kunje, who has shared her sound resume to the inquiry, stuck to her guns.
“The same election whose competence you question today is the same election that put you members where you are today,” said Kunje, a former university lecture.
Her argument was that legislators have no moral ground to question the credibility of the presidential elections results when they were elected under the same compromised electoral system during the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.
In her narrative, Kunje was hinting MPs that those who seek equity must come with clean hands.
The inquiry follows a landmark ruling the court delivered on February 3 nullifying the May 21 2019 presidential election and ordering a fresh poll within 150 days, citing anomalies and irregularities.
Meanwhile, over 100 former Members of Parliament who lost the 2019 parliamentary elections have filed an application at the High Court seeking order nullifying the outcome of the polls, citing similar irregularities that saw the results of presidential elections being declared null and void last week.
The Constitutional Court on February 3 ordered the nullification of presidential results and called for fresh elections over the next five months.
The application has been filed by Peter Bvalani and Dr Jessie Kabwila – on her own behalf and on behalf of other former MPs.
The matter was assigned to Zomba Registry of the High Court but has been transferred to Lilongwe High Court following the unavailability of Judge Zione Ntaba.
Frmer members, Frank Mwenefumbo and Henryb Mussa said there should be a rerun of the parliamentary and council elections since the Constitutional Court has found the Electoral Commission wrong in managing the polls.
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THERE IS NEED FOR THE ENTIRE TRIPATITE ELECTIONS TO BE CONDUCTED!!!!! OTHERWISE IF ONLY THE PRESIDENTIAL IS CONDUCTED, THEN ABOLISH THE ENTIRE TRIPATITE ELECTIONS BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CONTRADICTIONS IN THE TERMS OF THE PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENTARIANS AS SUCH THEY WILL ALWAYS BE CONTRADICTIONS!!!!!! IF NO PRESIDENT GUNNERS 50+1 IT MEANS TWO OR THREE RERUNS WIL HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED AND PROBABLY MAY TAKE 6 MONTHS AFTER THE MPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN USHERED INTO POWER!!!!!
The issue was about presidential results.She should tell the people why did they use tippex or allow tippex to shine.If tippex was used on Members of the parliament results, then who was wrong here. I believe the one who used tippex. MEC is to blame not Members of parliament.Mayiwa anangosowa chonena basitu, Zonse ziyipe.She is too rude to be one of commissioners of MEC .
Kunje moto kuti buuuuuuuuuuuuu! She is honest and spoke without fear
the comment shows more of your stupidity and IQ level! Thus the very incompetent they are talking about!! ndafakale mentality
I absolutely agree. Let these Mps honourable resign.
Illegal MP’s thoug painful but Linda Kunje has spoken plain truth please honourably accept she is very honest about this.You can’t claim to be MP’s when the tippex that was condemnedd by the Judges ushered you also in Parliament.Please resign honorably before the judgment backfires on you.
malawi with a non tangible rotten so called system.full of whores ammm d bastards
We teach all world , commissioners muyende bwino, osaiwala kubweza ndalama za a dad
It’s enlightening to hear commissioners like Kunje admitting that ‘not all was well’ in the electoral management system. However, assuming that ‘MEC’ was the vehicle whose driver was Justice Ansah assisted by the C.E.O. as bus conductor carrying the presidential and parliamentary candidates as passengers, now that the ‘bus’ has crashed, is it not possible that the honourable MPs be counted lucky to have escaped ‘unhurt’ by the same ‘accident’ that has severely injured the driver and fatally wounded one of the presidential candidates, the accident intended to save? Kunje’s argument appears to suggest that she feels if one passenger… Read more »
I tend to differ with your analogy because the issue which is being pursued is about violation of the constitution so this did not spare MPs and councillors so Kunje MPs are right in demanding nullification of the tripartite elections
What does the law say. All those people who had a reason to challenge the results as some did went to court within specified time period.
Lets not follow the law here but the reality bcoz if MEC is faulted for violation of consitution so ignore MPs to make petition within the specified time. When they kept quiet they felt all went on well but if it has been ruled in the other way round so need for tripartite elections.
Dear Commissioner Linda Kunje,
I write to apply to you that you become my friend, sister and aunt. I was excited to hear your responses to PAC yesterday. To me you are an honest lady intellectual who can speak your mind without fear and trepidation. Please answer my letter.
Yours truly,
Parallel Market
I sincerely take this as shallow thinking……………! Was it MPs’ making to be at parliament? I thought it was MEC that told them that they had won the election and should go to parliament? Take this, every time a student is told by her school that s/he has passed an exam and can proceed to the next level, s/he reacts accordingly………………………! Can we blame the child, if somebody claims there were some cheating towards the elevation of the student? Kodi moti Linda sakuona kuti popeza ma MP wa sanakonze okha kuti apezeke ku parliament, zikapita ku court, nanwonso akhoza kusumila… Read more »
Kunje is right. The elections were affected by tippex and therefore former MPs need to be reinstated just like VP Chilima until we hold fresh elections.
Who allowed the election to be affected by Tipp-Ex? And who had powers to take out affected votes and term them null and void? The contention is that Linda termed the MPs as beneficiaries of the Tipp-Ex elections, more less like the MPs themselves or somebody else not MEC declared them winners, when in fact it was herself and team that did it! Did MEC deliberately termed them winners to seek obedience and or submission to MEC? Kodi amene alipile for these blunders ndani? Why should we be taken at ransom by these incompetent people!!
If those MPs they know they won without the help of someone, Then there is nothing to worry if results will be nullified as well.They have to contest again.