MEC dealing with DPP complaint on electoral irregularities in Malawi rerun

June 27, 2020 Osman Faiti - Nyasa Times 26 Comments

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said it has received a complaint from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) urging the commission to call for a fresh election on the basis that the ongoing election had a lot of electoral irregularities.

Observers cross check MEC documents at College of Medicine in Blantyre-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana
MEC officials still working on results at Nation Tally centre in Blantyre-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana

MEC director of communications Sangwani Mwafulirwa said this on Saturday at the national tally centre in Blantyre during the media briefing.

He said the Commission was dealing with the complaint before the determination of the official results.

At the time of the announcement, Mwafulirwa said MEC has so far verified results from 17 of the 28 districts across the country which represents 30 percent of the total registered voters.

DPP in its complaint filed by the party’s administrative secretary Francis Mphepo says there have been “massive irregularities” affecting integrity and credibility of the presidential election results in central region and Mzimba districts.

They have submitted evidence of several incidents where DPP monitors were “totally excluded and prevented from performing their statutory functions in the central region district of Lilongwe, Dowa. Salima,  Ntcheu, Nkhotakota, Dedza, Mchinji and Kasungu and the Northern Region district of Mzimba.”

The party listed polling stations from which their monitors were allegedly excluded and said over 1.5 million votes had been marred by “violence and intimidation”.

“There is no doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another,” Mphepo continued.

Reads the complaint in part:  “The quality if an electoral process is just as important as numerical results, The integrity and credibility of the numerical results is informed by quality if the process ti arrive at the same. Clearly, the results in the central region districts and Mzimba district cannot be said to be credible and valid.”

DPP is seeking remedies that there should be a declaration that the elections has been “inconclusive” and that there is “no winner or loser” and that there be fresh polls.

Unofficial results show that opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera has won the election with about over 59 percent defeating incumbent President Peter Mutharika who has got 39 percent.

MEC chairperson Justice Chifundo Kachale said Friday night that he is confident that the commission will determine results of the Tuesday election by this Saturday.

He dismissed the rumour circulating on social media alleging that some MEC Commissioners were holding the electoral body at ransom by refusing to sign for the results until the issue of a complaint raised by the DPP-UDF Alliance (which nominated them) on the harassment of its monitors is resolved.

Kachale, a judge at the High Court of Malawi,  has since urged the public to base their reports on facts and refrain from undermining the integrity of the electoral processes, adding that misrepresentation of information is a legal offence punishable by law.

 

The MEC Chairperson reiterated that the commission is committed to working in a  professional and credible manner.

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26 replies on “MEC dealing with DPP complaint on electoral irregularities in Malawi rerun”

  1. I must say Dr Kachale simunthu wamba. He has managed to use the same useless MEC secretariat including two incompetent commissioners to run credible and, free and fair elections within 3 weeks of being appointed yet amayi ena ake aja zidawavutawa aja ankafuna up to 9 months ati kuti chinsakho chiyende bwino.

  2. Why do we Africans like to vote for president with nearly 80 years to be in power when we got young people in country. The world will be laughing at us.Africa wake up we need young to rule.Old people to lead us where? TO THE GRAVE???

  3. Over 1.5 million votes have been marred by violence and intimidation……. No doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another…….. And that there be fresh polls….
    These are what we call kicks of the dying horse. No way Mr criminal Mphepo. First the subject are not voters but monitors. SKC was prevented from campaigning in Phalombe and Machinga. Should we also quantify how many votes we lost? Desperate Mphepo mantha kuti chimuchitikira ndi chiyani!!!

  4. It may not be an issue if monitors miss voluntarily,but where force was used it becomes a serious matter!

  5. Malawians, where in the world can there be elections free of irregularities. Done by man? These are the same irregularities that made the courts to nullify the 2019 elections.

  9. Ubulutu DPP!! Monitors are just ‘witnesses’, their presence or absence has zero effect on an electoral process conducted in accordance with available laws!!

  10. Major problem with Chakwera is that he fails to control his supporters. He has never condemned any acts of violence committed by his supporters. If these irregularities are not dealt with, Malawi will never have credible elections.

    Worse still, opposition dominated MHRC has declared the elections free and fair. How can that be possible when monitors are hacked and barred from doing their electoral job?

    1. Tom Phiri utopa siwudati…By the end of 5 years kaya ukhala uli pati. By the way its doubtful if DPP will ever rule Malawi I mean Peter is past his sell by date who will succeed him and command Malawians confidence to vote for them…ku opposition mpaka kale kale olo nditi mutha ngati makatani…kkkkk

  12. Ma boma amene akulila naowa or Kuti anene Kuti tivotenso mumaboma amenewa awa ayalukapo chabe pakwamba poyaluka kale . Lilongwe in 2019 registered over 1 million people 2. Something people did not vote this time chakwera got 644, 730 votes kuonkhesela kwaine unofficial Peter 68,888 you can see Kuti even mutati hiiih haaaa mayooooooh palibe chophulapo apa akatuluka miwawidwa mtima aja sanavotenawo

  14. But is there truth in this complaint? Kikkkkkkkk! Wina akuti kwakuvutani ndikupakila/ kulongeza katundu kuti ena alowemo mmenemo! Tikuthandizani osadandaula, angolengeza a MEC, by fire by fire,you are going out! Ndipamene mudziwile kuti Malawi simunamupange lease uyu! Mulibe title deed. Mulekeni Yona Nsomba yamulavula atumikile uyu! Anakuuzani ndina kuti Democracy ndikukhala ndi ma President akummwela ndi Ku East okhaokha? Leave the peace in our country just the way you find it! Nkhulukudzu zachabe inu eti?

  15. Hearding towards the Con -court and supr-court doors now
    to redefine what irregularities are ?
    Game on part ll.
    🙌

  16. ALL ORGANISATION HAD GONE TO THYOLO, MULANJE, PHALOMBE AND CHIRADZULO
    MUNYA NONSE MUONA NDI CHILIMA

  17. Kkkkkk Ibu kulira tsopano. That’s stupid idea Apm Atu, Malawians went out & vote for change, your dream of ruling Malawi up to 2084, fake dream. Atupele you have never win any election & you’re the cause of cop’s lost.
    Without favouring any political, Malawians voted for change not the noise you’re making here. Go & prepare your pants out from state.
    The security was so tight how your monitors went missing? All this it’s because you lost. We know this is all fake, how did you come up with 1.6 votes irregularity? This is not good, give others a chance. Malawi is not only for dpp & udf. Sorry to say this but you’re all cretins, shame to you atupele, still young & unwise.
    Why did you go to China then? Maula is waiting for u.

  20. I am ashamed on behalf of DPP. Konsekutu ndikuopa kumangidwa malingana ndimmene awonongera chuma cha Boma. I have never seen a transparent and accountable system of voting like this one of Dr. Kachale’s Chairmanship.

    1. They are severely hurting. Thugs used to believe just because they are thugs it doesn’t hurt. Let them go to Chief Justice Steve Maseya.

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