Mutharika to appoint new Malawi Electoral Commission by June 5 for fresh polls

President Peter Mutharika will in consultation will political parties appoint a new commission for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) by June 5 to   to handle preparations for the fresh presidential elections, State House has said.

The contract for the current commissioners expires on June 5 and its chairperson Jane Ansah has resigned.

“The President is very much aware that the contract for the current commissioners will expire on June 5. So, by that time, he will do his part as required by law,” said Presidential press secretary Mgeme Kalilani.

He also the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) will communicate to the Judicial Service Commission this week about the vacancy at MEC chairperson seat since the resignation of Ansah so that they could prove a new nominee to the appointing authority.

Since June of last year, Ansah has been the target of protests calling for her resignation over her handling of last year’s botched election.

However, Ansah, a judge at the Supreme Court of Appeal, said she did not bow to protesters’ demand, to avoid setting a bad precedent.

“In [the] future, if a judge is writing a judgment and you sit and there is uproar because of that judgment, and they demand that judge should resign. Should the judge resign?  And not be heard? I believe democracy must be preserved in this country at any cost and that is why I did not resign,” Ansah said.

Malawi is expected to conduct fresh elections on June 23 following the court order in February for a new poll within 150 days.