MCP, partners endorse ‘Ansah must fall’ July vigils

The vigils Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has organised on July 4 and 5 to force Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah to resign has been boosted with the endorsement of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and its electoral alliance partners, People’s Party (PP) and Freedom Party (FP).

MCP and it partners have since appealed to their supporters to patronise the vigils that follow Ansah’s failure to resign as per the ultimatum issued to her during the June 20 nationwide demonstrations.

MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka alongside FP president and the country’s former vice-president Khumbo Kachali said their alliance was part of the vigils.

Said Kachali: “We endorse the 4th and 5th July vigils. The Constitution does enshrine so many freedoms and one of those is that to demonstrate. It is in keeping with the Constitution that we are endorsing the vigils organised by the HRDC.”

HRDC wants Ansah and her commissioners to quit for purportedly failing to manage the May 21 Tripartite Elections which were marred with irregularities, especially in the results management process.

But Ansah has refused to resign and told Zodiak Broadcasting Station in an exclusive interview on Monday night that she would only quit if the court finds her in the wrong. She described the demonstrations and calls for her resignation amid an ongoing elections case as “mob justice”.

Briefing journalists in Lilongwe on Tuesday, , Mkaka said sustained pressure will force the MEC chairperson to resign.

The alliance has since called on the police to protect people and not intimidate them with tear gas.