Tag Archives: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah

Development, Top News

Malawi’s Anti-Jane’s demos are ploy for a regime change-concerned citizens

Maravi Post Reporter

 

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Some of the country’s concerned citizens on Wednesday expressed sadness over personalization of demonstrations the way are currently being conducted.

The grouping has observed that the current anti-Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah demonstrations are out of years back ploy for regime change.

The grouping chairperson Phillip Kamangirah told news conference in the capital Lilongwe that as much demonstration is a right enshrined in the country’s supreme law of the land, some individuals are using it for personal interests than the actual agenda.

Kamangirah disclosed that he has evidence that current demonstration are out malice just bring down President Peter Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party government.

The grouping has therefore called up for all concerned parties to embrace dialogue for peace.

This comes a head  Thursday’s national-wide demos that aimed at forcing MEC chair Ansah to resign over May 21 polls’s fraud that ended opposition parties challenging the results in court.

Below is part of THE CONCERNED CITIZENS statement:

CALL TO CONTINUED DIALOGUE AND PEACE BUILDING We members of the Concerned Citizens STEERED by our private conscious, a national call to the service of our country, in and conventional HEEDFUL of our civic duties and common humanity BEARING IN MIND objectives set forth in the Constitution of the Republic Malawi COGNIZANT of our duty to develop and utilize our social and temporal gifts to spear-heard peace building, Social Justice and democracy, preserve dignity, observation of the rule of Law and to strengthen the bonds of unity DISTINGUISHING the need for organized leadership and stewardship for the proper conduct and practice of our affair  of heart, yet we have seen a lot of things going the wrong way.

To begin with, we would like to register our disappointment following the results of recent efforts that were made by His Excellency Dr. Bakili Muluzi who in his capacity as the Former Head of State saw it necessary to initiate the process of dialogue for peace building with Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) In all manners of fairness, this should be commended as a very good step towards peace building process.

We all know that differences are inevitable as far as societal matters are concerned. However, it is also said that no matter how a good dancer you are, there must be a time to leave the stage.

While we all know that demonstrations are part of constitutional rights as stipulated in the Republican Constitution, it must also be known that every right must be enjoyed with responsibilities.

We cannot afford to see our school going children being psychologically traumatized and fail to enjoy their right to education just because others are demonstrating every week.

We cannot afford to see property being damaged in the name of demonstrations. We cannot afford to see innocent citizens being humiliated and victimized in the name of demonstrations. We cannot afford to see business disrupted every week just because others are demonstrating. We cannot afford to lose lives in the name of demonstrations.

We cannot afford to see issues of ethnocentrism getting their pick on the basis of demonstrations. We cannot afford to see banks closed and some damaged in the name of demonstrations. We cannot afford to see government offices burned to ashes in the name of demonstrations.

We call upon the Government, Opposition Parties, and the HRDC to have conscious and wear a human face for the progress of this country. We call upon these stakeholders to promote the spirit of dialogue so that the peace we have enjoyed over the years can continue.

We also believe that man problems need man solutions. What is wrong in sitting down together and find a resolution on these matters than opting for violence every day? Is this the Malawi we want to create for the next generations? We are so much baffled. Our hearts are bleeding for the peace we have chosen to ignore.

We further call upon the dialoguing parties to refrain from grandstanding and earnestly pursue amicable solution to the issue at hand.

What we observe yesterday was nothing but promotion of egos from people that want to save their face than putting national interest. May both parties to the dialogue continue in the path taken so far.

Signed CHAIRPERSON

Phillip Kamangirah

Human Rights, Top News

Malawi court grants HRDC’s Anti-Ansah demos in Blantyre…As MDF soldiers assures protesters’ safety

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The High Court on Friday morning granted Human Rights Defender Coalition (HRDC) a go ahead for today’s demonstration in Blantyre.

The court’s order comes after Blantyre City Council demanded MK9.5 million from HRDC leadership to meet the damages protesters caused during the July 4-5 demos.

 

But early before the court order, the demonstrations in Blantyre were marked by violence in which alleged Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets were roughing up people who are gathering at Chichiri Upper Stadium to march despite Blantyre City Council forbidding the demos.

Maravi Post correspondent in the city witnessed some girls being manhandled while the police were just watching helplessly.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Soldiers have been deployed on the ground while assuring protestors’ safety during the demos.

The demonstration aims at forcing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr.Jane Ansah for engineering May 21 electoral polls.

 

Top News

Malawi law society stirs warning to parties, MEC, HRDC for being politically foul-mouthed

Maravi Post Reporter

 

By Richard Kayenda

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Law Society ( MLS), a legal organisation whose obligation is, among others, to provide insights on all the legal and political affairs in the country,  has come out in open warning all the political players in the country to buckle in tightly in the face of electoral dispute placed before the court in Lilongwe.

In a letter  released on Wednesday night, the Society has advised political parties to stop conducting political meetings with an aim thanking voters for voting for them in the just ended tripartite elections.

The body argues that these rallies do not save the intended purposes but rather become podiums for castigating one another and commenting on the electoral dispute that is before the court and this is unacceptable.

The Society has also spoken against the recent nationwide mass protests organised by Human Rights Defenders Coalition, supported by MCP and UTM leaders, aimed at demanding an immediate resignation of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr Jane Ansah,  saying that the Society does not see the demonstrations achieving the purpose, for they only turned out  violent and destructive to property.

The Law Society has therefore asked MEC Chairperson to consider stepping down  “since it is not a legal requirement for the MEC Chairperson to do so in the view of bringing peace and civil order”

“According to the Constitution of Malawi, it is the will of the people of Malawi as a whole that this country must be built on and on the foundations of integrity,  due process and good governance, transparency, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and tolerance for the common good.

“The Law Society will keep watching for direct or indirect conduct all parties concerned. The Law Society promises once again to hold accountable any of the legal or political leaders who promote any conduct that seeks to subvert the rule of law and the will of the people of Malawi in the post election period or beyond,” reads the letter in part.

Lately, there has been a spate of mass protests following the May 21 elections in which Civil Society Organisations demand an immediate resignation of MEC Chairperson, Madame Dr. Jane Ansah, SC JA, accusing her of maladministering the last elections.

Subsequently, a group of concerned women led by the Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Thom Navicha and Seodi White organised another demonstration to counter the call for Jane Ansah to resign arguing that the HRDC is just accusing Madame Dr. Jane Ansah because she is a woman.

Human Rights, Top News

Anti-Malawi Electoral body chair Ansah demos on Friday-HRDC

Maravi Post Reporter
Mtambo said demos will start on Friday.demos will start on Friday

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Anti-Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah protesters say they will not hold mass demonstrations on Tuesday, July 16 as earlier planned, saying the protests will instead start on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Chairperson of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC),Timothy Mtambo organizers of the protests told media in Lilongwe Monday morning that the development is due to late notification they made to police and other authorities.

“Should Jane Ansah fail to resign, we will carry on with our plans to hold demonstrations every Tuesday and Friday of the subsequent weeks.

“We want to remind all Malawians that our demonstrations are peaceful and not meant to target businesses, individuals and organizations. We would like to once again remind all Malawians that our primary focus is to restore Malawi’s destiny through electoral justice. We want Jane Ansah to resign,” he said.

The protesters are accusing Dr. Ansah of mismanaging May 21 Tripartite Elections.

The Coalition has also asked Malawi Human Rights Commission to probe into deaths of some electoral officers the country has recently seen.

“Our count is now at six of persons who have turned up dead under strange circumstances after having been identified as persons of interests in different aspects of the contested elections.

“It appears that while a formal process is underway through constitutionally provided protests and citizens’ actions and in our courts, other nefarious processes instigated by shadow actors are also underway in our country through dark, informal and barbaric channels,” said Mtambo.

Mtambo then called on the United Nations, African Union and other development partners to condemn what he called ‘politically motivated murders.”

Dr. Ansah is accused of being behind May 21 electoral fraud.

Top News

Desperate time; Pro MEC chair Ansah’ protesters confess being hired

Maravi Post Reporter

Pro MEC chair Ansah’ protesters confess being hired

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Peter Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government is indeed desperate to divert the nation over the May 21 polls.

Over a month after the disputed elections, the political standstill in Malawi is getting comic amid revelations that government paid poor rural women to march in support of beleaguered Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah.

Seodi White led a group of women on Wednesday drumming up for Ansah against those demanding her resignation for being having a hand in the electoral fraud.

According to women who spoke to this publication most of the marchers got about MK3,000 each.

With a reported 2,000 women paid, the government must have burned MK6,000,000 of tax payers’ money.

Such an amount is enough to supply fuel to run a district hospital for at least a month.

“To be honest, I didn’t know what I was marching for. I hear it is to do with women but I joined after I received MK3,000, a t-shirt and chitenje,” said a woman identified as Janet Lufati Lupale who was ferried from Phalombe.

Another woman, looking frail, said she was duped of the money by the group leaders but at least managed to get the t shirt although could not say what the words on the t shirt meant.

“Anatotiuza kuti kuli ma kobiri koma ife atiponda. Atipasa malaya okha (Looks I have been duped because it to now now money has been given to me except the t shirt,” said Abigail Mlaviwa, ferried from Chiradzulu.

The DPP government is facing unprecedented pressure from political parties and the civil society calling for the head of Ansa, accusing her of mismanaged of the election in favour of President Peter Mutharika.

So far, credible information indicate that UTM and MCP have submitted hair-raising evidence on how the DPP rigged the election.

A source close to the case in which UTM and MCP have called for the nullification of the election, says the team inspecting the ballots have uncovered massive evidence of rigging.

Trial for the case starts on July 29 while judgment is expected 21 days later after commencement of the hearing.

Top News

All set for anti-Malawi electoral body’s Chair Ansah demos…extended to districts

Maravi Post Reporter
Arrest demonstration looters—HRDC

By Nenenji Mlangeni

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-All is set for July 4-5 demonstration that aimed at forcing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah for May 21 disputed polls.

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has however asked Malawi Police Service to arrest all people who would attempt to turn the demonstrations slated for Thursday and Friday into platforms for anarchy and looting.

Briefing reporters in Lilongwe Tuesday, HRDC Chairperson, Timothy Mtambo, said the demonstrations, which will be held in 11 districts across the country, are expected to be peaceful.

Mtambo said attacking business premises does not make sense as the traders are equally worried with the way Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) handled the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

“We had a meeting with Malawi Police Service and we have assured them that the demonstrations would be peaceful. Anyone who will attempt to turn the situation into [a platform for promoting] anarchy and chaos would be arrested by the police.

“We are not saying that the people should not be angry, but we are saying that one can still express dissatisfaction without destroying other people’s properties,” Mtambo said.

The social media was Tuesday awash with reports that the demonstrations would target a specific commercial bank.

HRDC Vice Chairperson, Gift Trapence, described the proposed attacks on the bank as barbaric.

“We distance ourselves from this and would like to call upon the Malawi Police Service to arrest anyone seen vandalising or encouraging people to loot and attack businesses using social media,” Trapence said.

HRDC member, Luke Tembo, said their role was to provide a platform where Malawians could freely express their grievances against how Mec handled the elections.

This will be the second time HRDC is organising demonstrations calling for Mec Chairperson Jane Ansah’s resignation in the aftermath of the elections.

The first round of demonstrations took place in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba cities and attracted mammoth crowds.

However, despite mounting pressure, Ansah has refused to resign, describing such calls as mob justice.

Minister of Information, Mark Botomani, Tuesday expressed surprise as to why HRDC was proceeding with the demonstrations, saying Malawians were happy with the state of affairs in the country which, he claimed, had resulted in improved donor confidence, among other things.

“As the government, we are yet to come up with a stance regarding the demonstrations but, honestly, it doesn’t make any sense to me to see people planning demonstrations despite the way things have improved under President Peter Mutharika,” Botomani said.

Opinion, Top News

MEC Chair Ansah must be honest to Malawians on fraudulent polls not brat lies

Maravi Post Author 2 Comments

By Falles Kamanga

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah on Monday told the nation that she was not ready to resign unless the court finds her guilty on any wrong doing.

Ansah therefore has accused Malawi Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and political parties of being judges when are not.

The MEC chair told Zodiak TV that the matter is in court arguing that demonstrators should wait court proceedings.

She therefore said was ready to give evidence in court pertaining to all queries regarding to elections case.

“Tippex is trade and is correction fluid. Whether Tippex was used for the positive or negative course, it’s a matter of the court to decide,” says Ansah.

As much as we cant be all us lawyers and judges on Dr. Ansah’s  response to the purportedly “electoral fraud” its just a brat lies.

She just need to be honest with the nation and resign honorably than the drama and contradiction she keeps on the making.

Just for instance;  The MEC Chairperson says that rulings of the High Court on electoral disputes are final and not appealable. YET the MEC legal team was today at the Supreme Court of Appeal to appeal the High Court’s latest ruling on electoral disputes.

Ansah says rigging was not possible because the Commission’s processes were watertight. YET she also said correction fluid found its way onto results sheets to make alterations despite that fluid not being supplied by the Commission or being part of its supposed impenetrable process.

The MEC Chairperson says that Malawians should wait for the Constitutional Court to weigh the evidence and complete its proceedings in order to learn the truth about the electoral process and results. YET the MEC legal team is twisting itself into contortions to block the court from weighing the evidence and completing its proceedings

Once again, Ansah must resign for her integrity.

 

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the Publisher or the Editor of Maravi Post

Top News

CSOs give Malawi electoral body Chair Ansah’ 14 days ultimatum to resign for partisan politics

Maravi Post Reporter

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) on Tuesday requested Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr Jane Ansah to resign from her position within 14 days for being partisan politics

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Civil Society Organisations under the banner  Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) on Tuesday requested Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr Jane Ansah to resign from her position within 14 days for being partisan politics.

The call comes barely a few days after Dr Ansah was caught partying with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets amid general outcry over the presidential results for May 21 polls.

The grouping says the MEC Chair conduct by patronising DPP parties show partisan politics;

“Your association and fraternity with the Democratic Progressive Party cadres in celebrating electoral results that your Commission determined and you personally announced and are currently in dispute in the courts of law convinces us that you are compromised and you clearly project an appearance of being politically biased,” questioned HRDC statement.

Below is HRDC full statement made available to The Maravi Post;

 

CALLING FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION of Dr Jane Ansah, Judge of Supreme Court of Appeal, SC  AS MEC CHAIRPERSON

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition calls for your immediate resignation as the chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

We, at HRDC and indeed Malawians of goodwill and understanding of the requirements of integrity for senior Public Officers heading state institutions, have lost trust and confidence in your stewardship of the Electoral Commission.

We find your approach and attitude in handling electoral stakeholders’ complaints about the results management component of the 2019 tripartite elections, scandalous and unacceptable.

It is now public knowledge that you have presided over a fraudulent election. Malawi’s electoral process has become a subject of international ridicule because of the way you have mismanaged the results in favour of your preferred candidate while subverting the will of ordinary Malawian voters.

Many observers raised red flags on malpractices and irregularities including tipp-exed results sheets, denying copies of results sheets to party monitors, and electoral staff being found with pre-filled results sheets.

We take the view that you wrongly dismissed the complaints without due regard and consideration and went ahead to announce election results that were not credible.

Instead of ensuring a clean, uncorrupted electoral process, you were at the centre of creating and executing the electoral fraud as the majority of the electoral irregularities were perpetrated by MEC staff in positions of Presiding Officers, clerks and Returning Officers. Madam you told this nation that you were addressing 147 electoral complaints but to date no-one knows how you specifically addressed these problems because the process was not done in a transparent manner.

As HRDC we demanded that before presidential results were announced your office was supposed to demonstrate as to how you addressed each and every challenge to inspire confidence in the whole process.

Just saying you have addressed everything madam was not enough. We hold that we are at pains to believe and accept that you would address your own problems in a fair and just manner considering the fact that it was MEC officers behind electoral manipulation.

Your association and fraternity with the Democratic Progressive Party cadres in celebrating electoral results that your Commission determined and you personally announced and are currently in dispute in the courts of law convinces us that you are compromised and you clearly project an appearance of being politically biased.

Your willingness to make yourself available for photo-shoot opportunities with cadres of the Democratic Progressive Party at the inauguration ceremony for President Peter Mutharika, arising from an electoral process you oversaw is, to say the least, repulsive.

We find this to be against the requirements of political neutrality and impartiality that are pertinent for operational autonomy of the Electoral Commission.

We do not need to remind you that the office you hold demands the bearers to conduct themselves in a very noble, nonpartisan and impartial way at every given time.

We find that you have intentionally abrogated these virtues. While we recognize your freedom of association, the office you hold demands that you do not openly profess your allegiance to any political party, let alone during the electoral process.

As different stakeholders are moving the courts to seek legal redress on the many challenges that characterized the elections, we call upon you to honorably resign from your position as the Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson.

You hold the position on trust; and your conduct has betrayed the very same trust on which basis you hold office.

It is against this background that we strongly believe you should pave way and leave it to other more suitably qualified and ethical Malawians to lead the MEC.

We ask you to honorably step down in the next two weeks (14 days) from the date of this letter.

We intend to use all legally acceptable means and actions at our disposal after the 14 days, against you if you will not have resigned.

Sincerely, Timothy Mtambo Gift Trapence National Chairperson HRDC National Vice Chairperson HRDC Happy Mhango – Northern Region HRDC Chair Billy Mayaya – Central Region HRDC Chair Masauko Thawe – Southern Region HRDC Chair Madalitso Banda – Eastern Region HRDC Chair

Top News

#Malawi2019Votes: Mec ready for presidential results

Maravi Post Reporter

By Patience Abeck

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah says is ready with presidential elections results that the commission just awaiting the court ruling.

Dr Ansah told the nation that all quarrels raised by different stakeholders have been resolved.

She reminded the nation that its only the commission has the mandate the run the elections nobody else.

The MEC Chairperson was addressing the news conference at national tally centre in Blantyre.

“Immediately, the court rules in our favor, presidential elections will be announced. Nothing will stop us as we are given the mandate to run the elections,” says Ansah.

 

Top News

#Malawi2019Votes: MEC confirms Chilima’s votes were tampered in Mzuzu

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYTRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah on Sunday confirmed to the nation that UTM leader Saulos Chilima’s presidential votes were tampered in Mzuzu City.

Dr. Ansah disclosed that about 400 votes were reduced in the district which prompted the commission to fix it.

The commission was addressing the news conference a while ago at the national tally centre in Blantyre.

Chilima who is the country’s vice president on Saturday called upon MEC to nullify then call for fresh elections amid numerous irregularities.

Currently, the commission wait the court ruling to announce final presidential results following Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s injunction to stop the announcement.