MEC against witness Sulemani’s ‘simulation’ on their gadgets in Malawi poll case

November 4, 2019 Nyasa Times Reporter 34 Comments

The Constitutional Court sitting in Lilongwe will have to  rule on an  application by in the ongoing elections petition case by second respondent, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to discharge or vary the order requiring the electoral body bring its kits and servers  system for purposes of ‘simulation’ by key witness for second petitioner Lazarus Chakwera  of Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Daudi Sulemani for amplified testimony

Daudi Sulemani an IT expert who was part of the MCP ICT team during the May 21 elections wants amplified testimony in the ongoing landmark election case.

But MEC lawyers argue in an application that if Sulemani is really an IT expert  as he proclaims, he should be able to set up a simulation without the necessity of bringing the whole system of the electoral body into court.

MEC legal team says at the time the court made the order to allow Sulemani amplify his testimony, there was no application but just a notice, saying the notice did not mention who intends to use the gadgets and how.

They argue that what Chakwera lawyers explanation as to how they intend to use the gadgets are “ substantially different with what they told the court.”

MEC  legal team further argue that “ it is clear that the security of the gadgets will be compromised if used in the way proposed by the witness.”

The second respondents are stating that since Sulemani said he wants to make a simulation, he can do so using his own gadgets.

“In the alternative. MEC staff will have to oversee the alleged simulation and will not allow unsecured internet lines to be used on their servers so that the security and integrity of their system is not compromised.”

Sulemani took part in the designing, establishing and operating a results transmission platform for the May 21 elections which would act as the party’s parallel voter tally centre as well as data management and analysis services prior to, during and after the elections.

Chakwera and first petitioner UTM presidential hopeful Saulos Chilima claim that results for the May 21 2019 presidential election were marred with irregularities and fraud and want them nullified. The two are also seeking a court’s order for a re-run.

MEC declared President Peter Mutharika as winner.

The electoral petition case started on August 8 2019 and is tentatively set to finish on December 6 with a verdict possibly early next year.

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34 replies on “MEC against witness Sulemani’s ‘simulation’ on their gadgets in Malawi poll case”

  2. The headline is misleading. From the outset the court ourdered MEC to handover several databases of the results management system and the second petitioner’s IT team has had access to and duly conducted an audit on the system and also have copies of the database. To the untrained eye, the request to use MEC original databases to conduct simulations sounds resonable; there is need to show that the second respondent’s audit result is not due to manipulation. However, somebody would have to conduct an audit with simillar objectives to the second petitioner’s IT team before this simulation to see if it would lead to simillar results. This is because MEC’s database is the only source database. Goes without saying that MEC will have to design another results management system in the next election, whenever that will be, now that people have access to their databases and can fully exploit its vulnerabilities.

  4. IT siimene inavota a Suleman awa asatitayitsepo nthawi apa ndi anzawo a Bendulo opanda certificate aja chilichonse zamiseche basi.Ku MCP kwagona mamveramvera osati ma facts

  5. These were the MCPs so called experts who tried to infiltrate the MEC servers to corrupt the results but they failed miserably and now they want to know the securities and defence of MEC Computers to corrupt the system. Cons Court should not allow that

  6. MEC be careful with Daudi Suleman he is messed up ku USAID, went to Opportunity Bank he was an architect of a huge fraud and then went to NBS via Nico Tech, the bank’s was “closed” for days due to his botched system upgrade that left customers destitute without services. Let him use a simulated environment at least that way u can stay away from his questionable integrity.

  10. It is MEC servers that were supposed to be used as platform for various ICT services including recording the results. MEC is a public entity and the elections were for all Malawians.
    What are you hiding from Malawians.

    Ever heard of the words transparency and accountability?

  11. I think it’s time for Mec and Dpp to fall. Whatever you do in darkness remember some other time can come daylight just to show you, whatever you did was stupid ldear look now what is happening with Me.

  14. Koma kuli kanthu ku khoti. Modeciah Msiska, asiye anzako chonde. Timaziwa ndiwe katundu womanga ndi mawaya and Kaphale akulephera kumaka.

    Cant wait for this analysis from Sulemani.

  15. Mwayamba kale, mwayamba kale . Mwayamba kale, kunjenjemela. The noose is slowly tightening. And APM wants peace talks. Any idea, readers, what the agenda is likely to be?

  16. If there was nothing wrong how they announced the results so why are they afraid of using the gadgets in court?Jane Ansah said the elections were free and transparent,so where is the transparent here?Though i am not a judge but i could conclude that MEC and DPP played with peoples will by rigging the elections.

    1. Let there be re run, and see how the southern region guys will whip you again. Those people that voted for Chilima in the southern Region, i don’t see them voting for Chakwera, because they hate MCP, that is in the event that Chilima is bewitched and Join MCP. And pamenepo nde Muzalira zeni zeni.

  17. Muthalika akunjenjemera chani. Ife tikudziwa kuti munabera pogwiritsa ntchito computers Tabo Mbeki anauza Muthalika kuti he has lost the elections to Chakwera and accept defeat but he refused to step down as a result he forced MEC to tamper with the results to manipulate figures in order to favor Muthalika. Why applying for refusal to use gadgets yet you announced the winner. I think this could work to your advantage to prove that indeed the May elections was won by Mr. Muthalika. So if you deny then you are denying justice which means you committed treason in order to circumvent the democratically elected government that is attracting serious punishment under the laws of Malawi.

  18. I hate these Arabic coloureds! Don’t trust them at all. MEC better be careful or the systems will be compromised and rendered prone to hacking during rerun

  19. Vuto MEC DPP ndilimenelo. No independence at all.The moment your party raises fears you act just to please your good for nothing masters. Nokha munalola koma pano muli ndi mantha. Koma mwafoila anthu akuba inu.If you surely won elections why are you afraid now?

  22. Chokanira ndi kubisira mukufuna zisaululike ? We need transparency why stopping the witnesses to show Malawians how you rigged the presidential elections, please judges allow the witnesses to give us clear pictures as to how riggings were conducted ?

  23. Komatu MEC mix DPP muchezela kukana zinthutu. Ngati mukuona kuti palibe umboni woti munawina ingowalekani anzanuwo akambe mmene akufunila. What is the problem??

    1. Agwiritse ma server awo mesa iwo ndi ma self acclaimed IT expert ma level achina Chilima omwe technology ndikudya kwawo

        4. @Mtaba
          DPP aka MEC have a pathological delusion they own everything in this country. On one hand they scream petitioners should prove beyond reasonable doubt that elections were rigged on the other they use any legal means possible to block exhibits by witnesses.
          Sick people.

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