Of Peter Mutharika, DPP’s fears and obsession with MEC’s electronic voting system

By Andrew Nyondo

Malawi being a developing country as well as one of the least developed countries in the world has been excelling through various technological changes and advancements.

Whatever technology we have been using in this country has never been invented in the country,  but rather being copied from other countries more especially from the west. 

In this case, we are talking about the new electronic voting system which the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) wants to use for counting votes in the forth coming General Elections. 

Its just a noble and honest electronic voting system. This is the technology that will help Malawi to deviate from the manual counting of votes to the electronic counting. 

Its just the same way banks deviated from manual counting of money to machine assisted counting.

But what is bothering Malawians now is how the opposition block is perceiving the noble technology as well as how opposition leaders are imparting knowledge about the technology to the electorate. 

One learned leader called Peter Mutharika (87 years old)- and a Law Professor from the world’s recognised university has taken lead to mislead the electorate. He has taken full board of himself to misinform people about the good technology which its objective is to ensure a free and fair counting of votes.

He is a professor who understands well issues concerning global technologies.  He is the professor who is well respected in the world for his contributions made in his life time. A professor, who is supposed to impart necessary knowledge and a good understanding to people that can sometimes be perceived as gullible and fickle.

But the question is “Why is Peter Mutharika so afraid and obsessed with this good machine which will break a good record in elections management? A record that will create a zero tippex situation in elections management. Lets digest this nobly and honourably.

1. The Purpoted DPP System

Since it lost the court sanctioned elections case in 2020, Peter’s DPP  has been calling itself a ‘system’. DPP leaders branded the party as a system not because it has good structures, but because it planted its people in all the country’s institutions. The party gained illegitimate power in 2005 after its founder, Bingu wa Mutharika-  ditched Bakili Muluzi’s United Democratic Front (UDF) party which sponsored him to power.

Yes, we all agree that Bingu performed much better during his first term just from the onset when he uttered the sentiment “wa pakaliyala sayimba belu”. Malawians praised him during his first term. People especially Mzimba chiefs nicknamed him ‘Ngwazi’. Others nicknamed him ‘chitsulo cha chanji’ while others called him ‘Mose wa lero’. Any way that was Bingu and not Peter. In short, what Bingu could do, Peter can’t do despite that they were both conceived in the womb of one woman.

By the way, Bingu lost power by sudden death. His second in command Joyce Banda took over power. But JB despite improving the economic situation lost power not because people didn’t want her, but because the so called DPP system rigged the election. 

It rigged, rigged and rigged.  

That’s why it branded itself as a system after it lost the court sanctioned fresh election. Moreover, the party campaigned against her in a viral rhetorical way “Ng’ombe yayikazi siyikoka ngolo”. But JB was much better than APM. Yayikazi yinakoka bwino ngolo kuposa yayimuna yimene yinabera chisankho.

In my thinking, I believe that DPP party leaders thought it would be easy for the party to rig again during Malawi Congress Party (MCP) regime- with Namalomba’s thinking that MCP is just the same as People’s Party or President Chakwera just the same as Joyce Banda. This is cheap thinking.

So their thinking is not auguring well with the introduction of the electronic voting system. This is not just a small technology, but a technology that has halted DPP’s plans to rig the election using its systems planted in government institutions. That’s why a learned person like APM, who has lived in countries with hi-techs is crying like a baby for the  introduction of technology that will leave a remarkable history as far as good and professional management of fair and free elections is concerned.

2. The Call for Resignation of MEC Chair

No body can understand the good reason why DPP and other opposition parties are consistently calling for the resignation of the current competent MEC chairperson Justice Anabel Mtalimanja.  The logical comparative analysis is that DPP hired Jane Ansah, who allowed the overwhelming use of tippex during the 2019 tripartite elections.  There was a massive fraud and irregularities in the management of the elections which at end led to the equitable distribution of 25% of the remaining uncounted votes.

So APM and the whole oppsotion’s thinking is that if Ansah was hired and trusted to manipulate votes in favour of APM and DPP, then Justice Mtalimanja is also hired and trusted to manipulate votes for Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and MCP..This is another cheap thinking.

WHAT IS IN THE OFFING?

It’s clear that DPP and other opposition parties will miserabky lose the forth coming General Elections because of numbers. Elections is about numbers and not about the kindergarten thinking. 

 Example:

 when Barak Obama was vying for his second term, the world thought he was going to loose. But those who were thinking in that way never thought that Obama had his strongholds such as Chicago which voted him to power massively.

That’s why, he began his inaugural speech by saluting first the Chicago people. In the Malawian context, President Chakwera and his MCP has his strongholds which I think will give him the undoubted vote.  Those who are disputing this fact should look at this para below.

Central region registered over 3.4 million votes. Southern and eastern Regions registered atleat not more that 2.9 million. Northern region which the DPP said can do without it registered 900000 potential voters. 

If we are to consider the voting parten and trend ftom 1994  this automatically translates to the accumulation of over 2.5 million votes for Chakwera in the Central region. Atleast 600000 vote accumulation for President Chakwera in the Eastern and Southern Region and atleast 450000 of votes for Chakwera in the Northern region because he will command the whole of Mzimba and Rumphi. He will take some reasonable votes in other districts.

Central region is his territory. But he will punch hard in Chikwawa and Nsanje as well as Mangochi Makanjira. He will hit harder in Mwanza and Neno. Blantyre will be shared, but he will also take some reasonable votes from the Lhomwe built. In short he is undefeatable. The 50+1 is achievable and attainable to him.

Whether other parties will form alliances, and whether there will be system or no system, President Chakwera will carry the day. He will be declared the President Elect, he will be sworn in and he will read the great inaugural speech again. He will be there to lead again up to 2030. He will leave the mantle to the next potential MCP candidate for 2030. That will be the death of DPP.

CONCLUSION 

APM and DPP plus other minor opposition parties like UTM knows very well that President Chakwera is a political giant. The cry against the electronic voting system is signaling that these guys are indirectly accepting that they will lose the crucial election. APM and others want to put blame on the system as the reason for their loss.

By the way! How can voters with the sound mind choose a person who is approaching 100 years? Do we need such an old grand father to lead again? Can such a great grand father manage to run a continuous 3 month campaign and later lead the country as Malawans want. Let’s wait and see while we are watching and appreciating the massive mobilisation of people by the Minister of Local Government,  Unity and Culture  Honourable Richard Chimwendo Banda (RCB)- the Bulldozzer and the MCP SG.  Don’t forget that he is the leader in Parliament.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of the Maravi Post or Editor