MEC asks court to stop voter registration after Cabinet committee on Covid-19 directive
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has asked the High Court to stop the ongoing registration exercise for the July 2 fresh presidential elections barely after Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus prescribed the suspension of the exercise as precautionary measures to fight the outbreak.
The Cabinet Committee led by Minister of Health Jappie Mhango advised the suspension of of voter registration to “safeguard lives of voters”.
But MEC proceeded with the registration of voters while rushing to court to seek the legal authority to stop the process.
MEC chairwoman Jane Ansah confirmed the development.
Speaking on Monday when she inspected progress of voter registration exercise at Mitole Primary School registration center in Chikwawa North Constituency, Ansahr implored upon MEC registration staff on the ground to ensure that social distancing coupled with regular hand washing is implemented at all cost.
“I am optimistic that no case of coronavirus pandemic is going to be registerd due to voter registration exercise as well as due to other subsequent activities leading to the Constitution Court ordered presidential elections if we implement the recommended preventive measures. I therefore call upon all of you to ensure social distance during this exercise no matter what,” said Ansah.
During Ansah’s visit to Chikwawa, which is among districts of Nsanje,Blantyre,Salima,Karonga, Chitipa among others where the first phase of voter registration is currently underway, it was disclosed that the fear of the virus pandemic is making some people to shun away from registering.
It also transpired that the absence of National Registration Staff at voter registration centers prevented people without national identity cards from registering unlike in the May 2019 Tripartite Elections where they were being registered first by the NRB staff right on the center before being enrolled in the voters register.
Legal expert Justin Dzonzi said while it is praiseworthy to take preventive measures, the Cabinet committee does not have constitutional mandate on issues to do with elections.
“The constitution of the ministerial committee to do with Coronavirus is purely administrative and not provided for under the appropriate law. I know the president is proceeding on basis of a law called Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act but the law for purposes of doing with Coronavirus is the Public Health Act,” Dzonzi said on Times Radio.
He also described the committee’s decision as an interference with electoral process stressing that the Executive would only advise Mec to call for a Necof [National Elections Consultative Forum] meeting to map the way forward.
“We should keep in mind that these are not normal elections but court ordered election. Any processes that are likely to interfere in implementation of that order require a sanction of that court. Mec, as a party to the election, should have gone to court and make an application asking an extension of time and interim suspend the voter registration,” he said.
The electoral body started the first phase of the registration process in preparation for Constitutional Court sanctioned fresh presidential elections.
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Ku America corona ikuviuta zedi koma khothi la Supreme lalamula kuti zisankho za maprimary a Democrats a pitilire. Apa zikutanthauza kuti chisankho cha President chidzakhala. Pumbwa asathawe masakho kumbuyo kwa corrona. Zivite zitani tikukavota basi.
Please‼ Can APM take jane ansah to Zomba Mental Hospital pls!
Kkkkkk a Dzonzi mwadziwa liti cabinet committee has interfered with MEC on request to halt voters’ registration? Bwanji simunanenepo za mmene concourt inalowerera parliament kasintha za 50+1? Kodi muli a Galatiya woyamba ndi uzimu koma kutsiriza mthupi? Shame on you and cabinet committee on virus has been mandated to make sure they put measures to avoid spread on covid so they can make decisions and every citizen has to abide by that since they have been mandated by our consititution. If anything ndiye mukanayamba kutsutsa kuti the committee was illegally appointed. Musamayese kuti ndinu nokha mumazitsata zinthuzi ndinu amene mukusokoneza anthu.
A malawi osamapusa. The court cant grant that. Have the banks closed? Lets wait for such a situation. Palibe zothawa kuvota. No no no! What if corona proceeds for 2 years. U mean we wont vote?????? Use the heads pliz.
Iwe umati chaaaa? Palibe, the deciding factor is that there should be no more cases of covid-19 in Malawi and thats a precondition. Inu amene mukuufuna u President, chafa kwadolo.
Jane Ansah is on her early stages of madness
I am going to Mugg&Bean for a coffee. Thanks. See u later.
Even during war, Afghanistan go to Elections. We want fresh Presidential elections. DPP said they are ready and MCP/UTM said the same. Whether coronavirus or not, let’s do the needful.
No need for MEC to go to corrupt court.
Maybe your God is the devil
Kodi????????
I have never seen a hard hearty woman like this one. May God see her.
We hope and pray our Judges will prioritize lives of the citizenry than elections. Elections come and go but when life is lost is lost forever on this planet. COVID-19 is real. Our Judges should not politicise their judgement on this this matter PLEASE.
In Malawi Covid is Only Real tikatofika nkhani ya Chisankho ….Just look around you in markets ,churches ,banks ,water kioks and tell Us that Stopping Registration is the Only Way to stop Corona ….Now because of Politics you are Relaxing some of the Measures …Actually a DPP atolengezesa mmakwalalamu ati Tikalembese tikavotere APM …Magalimoto atoyenda…..
had it been that is chakwera who said mec should stop voter registration what would have happened and would madise’s comment be. just thinking. though chakwera can be last man to do this even if see people die of covid voting for him he would be singing all is well with my soul
stupid cadet. why do you hate our president so much? time is comming when he’s to rule you that’s when udzamve m’bebe
Bodza ili.
In the first place the tippex minister would have asked mec to do this.
October Jane Ansah akupita. Zili bwino kwambiri tizaone MEC yatsopano, mavoti atsopano, kuwina kwatsopano, Olamula dziko atsopano. Imitsani kalemberayo bvuto palibe. The good part of the story is SKC is our VP and President in waiting!!!
Something not adding up with certain decisions in Govt. Has MEC carried out a survey to see if this registration exercise is attracting a lot of people to the extent of congestion????? What about govt. decision to open up ADMARC markets??? Between the two which is riskier????
This Virus can not affect those who are queing to sell maize at Admarc ….It will only affect you if you Try to Register for Elections …..
Exactly what they are implying.. quite strange
Maize is now in abundance. Why que for Maize?
Ethiopia did cancel the elections (which were scheduled almost one month after ours) due to covid19. Uganda have postponed their election from 2021 t0 2023. if ethiopia did it, Uganda did it, why can’t Malawi did it? continuing with voter registration and subsequent election might sound good today but tomorrow we all look stupid more so the concourt.
but in DRC people voted by the time there was ebora…the issue of Uganda and Ethiopia is different from us cause in these countries they have legitimate leadership while here in Malawi we have caretaker president.
The mentioned coutries are still dictatorships Malawi is now democratic thus the difference ok.
‘Ife sitikopela za mayiko ena.’ Galasi.
Ethiopia did not cancel the Elections. The Politicians in Ruling party raised the concern about Corona Virus and the Opposition said, the issue should be discussed in Parliament and its only Parliament that can make the final decision.
As of now, they have not canceled the Elections. It will only depend on the Decision of the Parliament, but of late they have not made any cancelation yet.
Don’t cheat people about Ethiopia. I do follow Politics of Africa.
In South Korea now they are continuing their Elections regardless of the Corona Virus pandemic. They have just improved their hygiene and ways to prevent people from contracting Corona, but they have not postponed their Elections.
In Mali they voted one week ago, while Corona Virus pandemic is affecting their people and they are dying too,so don’t hide behind the issue of Corona Virus.
We are voting again, whether there is Corona or Not within 150 days as the Court said.
Yes that’s it but the contrary to malawi situation is that our president was declared unduly elected.He has no full mandate from people through vote which is a requirement of our constitution.He is ruling by court order now for how long.the court must revisit this and put power to constitutionally instituted offices such as office of the speaker to take care the office of presidency first and second speaker the other two offices of vice presidents.
My friend OUR scenerio is different with Uganda and Ethiopia.There the president’s have legitimacy through vote.but here is the problem that the president was declared unduly elected and cannot claim mandate of governing of 2014 becoz it ended in 2019.in malawi the ele nations were annulled.this is not normal elections or rerun.therefore we have the issue of mandate here becoz in democracy you can not rule even a second without vote of the people elections.noone has voted for APM for the 150 days but court order this is the issue that the court should sort out quickly.thry should level the playing field.noone without mandate should be ruling whether you say the elections will happen in 2025 no problem provided noone without mandate is ruling.The court should focus on how to fill the vacuum using constitutionally instituted institutions.
Iii jane ansah alipobe. Ndamene wabweretsaulili uyu.
Osangoyimisa Bwanji ….Abwana Anu Achina Jappie alamula ….As for NRB to them registering kids under 16 yrs in some districts in more important than registering adults everywhere…..
Yes measures are essential against Convid 19 but MEC should be independent in making decisions than following directives of party hood rats.