MEC dispels rumours that its truck illegally offloaded materials in Karonga

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) seems to be embroiled in one mishap after another and the latest is that it has been forced to dispel rumours that its truck was illegally offloading voter verification materials before arriving at its destination at Karonga District Council.

But rather, MEC explains, the van — registration number TPE32 — had successfully delivered material to the Council on Saturday, December 29, 2018 ahead of the voter verification exercise scheduled to commence on Saturday, January 5, 2019.

“On the way back, the driver stopped at a Total Service Station to refuel the vehicle. While at the station a used seal dropped,” explains Chief Elections Officer Sam Alfandika in a statement issued on Friday.

“Social media have speculated that the van was dropping out some materials illegally to the jeopardy of the ongoing electoral process.

The Commission is advising the general public to refrain from feeding the electorate with fake stories.

“All electoral stakeholders are encouraged to verify matters first before throwing in their weight behind such fake stories.”

On Thursday, MEC was also forced to issue a statement when pictures of abandoned voter registration certificates that were found in Mangochi District went viral on social media raising fears of rigging.

The development follows the unresolved theft in September 2018 of one of MEC’s biometric voter registration kits (BVRK) which was found on a coal train in Mozambique.

Commenting on Facebook, Rhodrick Junaid Kalumpha said: “The unfolding fiasco of voter registration certificates found in Mangochi yet belonging to Mlare School in Msinja, Lilongwe is reason enough to show that Jane Ansah and her team are incompetent and can’t be trusted to conduct a free and fair election.

“First was the machine that was found in Mozambique, now this? Surely Ansah if she has any iota of shame and has a pinch of love for Malawi as a nation must respectfully relinquish her position, together with her fellow commissioners.”

MEC also insists that stakeholders wishing further information can contact MEC Director of Media and Public Relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa on 0999274304 or use Mwafulirwa’s personal email — [email protected].

On social media, people questioned why Mwafulirwa should be using a personal email instead of an official one.