MCP-UTM alliance optimistic about ‘technical knockout’ in Malawi presidential re-run

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party electoral alliance says it is optimistic about securing more than 50 per cent of the votes to be cast in the forthcoming fresh presidential election set for July 2  thereby avoiding a possible run-off.

Speaking when the two parties addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Tuesday, the MCP-UTM and its alliance partners  warned the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that it will suffer ‘technical knockout’ in the poll.

MCP deputy publicity secretary, Ezekiel Ching’oma, and the UTM national publicity secretary, Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga, stressed that the two parties are aware of deliberate moves by Malawi Electoral Commission  (MEC)and DPP to frustrate the alliance so that it should boycott the poll.

“But we would like to assure Malawians that we are participating in the poll under any circumstances. And DPP must expect technical knockout because we are confident of securing over 50 per cent of the votes,” said Ching’oma.

However, Malunga, while commenting on the announcement of the date of the fresh poll by  MEC, the parties were dismayed that electoral commission chairperson Jane Ansah and her Commissioners have chosen to cling to their offices and administer the forthcoming presidential elections when the Constitutional Court and Parliamentary Public Appointments Committee (PAC) found them wanting in capacity.

PAC’s findings followed the February 3 Constitutional Court ruling which mandated the committee to evaluate the commissioners’ performance and make appropriate recommendations to President Peter Mutharika. One of the recommendations was that they be removed from office.

Malunga disclosed that they have since instructed their lawyers to commence a constitutional challenge to the continued presence of Ansah and the current Commissioners in the Commission.

UTM Party president Saulos Chilima and his MCP counterpart Lazarus Chakwera sought nullification of the presidential election results owing to irregularities, which marred the May 21 presidential election results management system. On February 3 this year, the court then nullified the presidential election results and ordered MEC to conduct a fresh poll within 150 days.