MCP renew fears of rigging: Alleges Zimbabweans hired to vote in Malawi

The opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) claims there is a ploy to bus in about a million Zimbabweans to vote in the May 20 tripartite polls.

The party has since called on its supporters and well-wishers countrywide to be vigilant and expose the electoral fraud.

MCP Vice president and vice  presidential running mate Richard Msowoya made the allegations during a public campaign rally the party held at the Mzuzu Upper Stadium on Sunday.

“The plan will not work. We understand they also tried to bribe Malawi Electoral Commission officials but  it  will boomeranged,” Msowoya said.

However, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) officials expressed ignorance on the scheme.

Msowoya claimed there is a team buying voter registration cards in Thyolo, Mulanje, Mwanza, Blantyre Rural, Dowa, Ntcheu, Lilongwe, Mchinji and Mzuzu City.

He did not disclose how much the team is buying per voter registration card. In Malawi it is an offence punishable by law to sell a voter registration card.

“Their target is 1 million but so far they have bought 840,000 cards. What they are doing is that they are transposing the pictures of Zimbabweans on the cards so that when they ferry them they will be able to vote,” Msowoya said.

Later in an interview, Msowoya said well-wishers tipped MCP of the scheme last week but declined to disclose individuals or organisations behind the move.

“You know them,” he said.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Maxon Mbendera  dismissed the rigging fears, arguing there “hasn’t been credible evidence so far”.

Sharing is caring!