MCP ready with new names for Malawi Electoral Commission

Main opposition, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) says it is ready with names for new Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioners.

MCP spokesperson Reverend Maurice Munthali said the party is just waiting for President Peter Mutharika to demand the names to replace the current embattled MEC commissioners headed by Jane Ansah.

“We know that these commissioners can no longer organize an election. We are more than ready with the names,” he said.

Nyasa Times understands one of the names MCP are recommending to go to MEC is IT expert Daud Sulemani.

Munthali  comments comes  after Public Affairs Committee said it would engage political parties on the strategy for the formation of a new MEC accepted by all political parties.

PAC spokesperson Gilford Matonga said the quasi-religious body would be meeting opposition political party leaders after Mutharika refused to fire the MEC commissioners.

Mutharika refused to fire the commissioners before the Supreme Court ruling which upheld the Constitutional Court ruling for the holding of a fresh election on July 2.

UTM spokesperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga welcomed PAC’s initiative to meet opposition political party leaders on the way future of MEC.

Professor of law Garton Kamchedzera and associate professor of law Ngeyi Kanyongolo both from Chancellor College—a constituent college of the University of Malawi, have since asked President Mutharika to enhance the credibility of the forthcoming July 2 fresh presidential election by replacing the current MEC commissioners whose competence courts have faulted.

MEC commissioners- except chairperson Jane Ansah –  will have their terms of office expire in 24 days on June 5.

Under the Electoral Commission (Amendment) Act 2017, the President shall, subject to Section 75 of the Constitution, appoint members of the commission on such terms and conditions as the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament shall determine.

The law also requires leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly which secured more than one tenth of the national vote in an election to Parliament to submit to the President a maximum of three persons as political party nominees for consideration as commissioners.

Presidential press secretary Mgeme Kalilani has  said the President will act at an appropriate time.