MEC chair Kachale deplores electoral violence after MCP attack DPP monitors

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Dr Chifundo Kachale has urged the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands when dealing with cases of alleged violations of electoral laws.

Kachale, a judge of the High Court , assured that the electoral body would manage the electoral process with impartiality and that people risk creating an environment of chaos and lawlessness if they continue with mob-justice on electoral concerns.

He has since urged the public to report suspicious activities to legitimate law enforcement agencies.

His remarks come amid reports of attacks on Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) monitors in the central and eastern regions apparently by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) cadres.

Voting has been going on smoothly in most parts of the country.

But there has been reported incidents  at Baka Lutheran School polling station in Karonga North-West Constituency when voters nearly razed down a car belonging DPP Member of Parliament for the area James Bond Kamwambi for allegedly ferrying voters to the polling centre.

The Centre’s presiding officer Weston Lungu said the vehicle came twice at the centre with people to vote and  hell broke loose when voters recognised the vehicle.

“Yes it is true the vehicle came twice. The first time it came with the elderly who I assisted with the voting process. The second time it came with voters and people recognized the car. When they lodged a complaint, I reasoned with the driver to leave the place,” Lungu said.

But Kamwambi said he sent the car with his driver to escort some relatives who could not walk  to centre.

Voters are choosing between President Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera.

Mutharika, who took office in 2014, is the fourth president since MCP’s Kamuzu Hastings Banda’s long authoritarian rule ended in 1994.