Ansah defends K600m legal bill for South African lawyers: ‘Democracy is not cheap’
Embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has cunningly sprung up to defend the pollster’s decision to hire South African lawyers to help in the presidential elections appeal case for a staggering $788 000 (about K600 million),legal fee, saying democracy is not cheap.
Ansah said this Friday in Blantyre during the National Elections Consultative Forum (Necof) meeting attended by political party representatives and other electoral stakeholders.
“Democracy is not cheap. They are the same costs the Attorney General [Kalekeni Kaphale] was getting when he was representing the Commission in the case,” she told the gathering when answering a question.
Malawians have taken up in various social media platforms to condemn MEC for hiring the foreign lawyers at such a higher fee for the Supreme Court appeal case.
The foreign lawyers lost their first case in the Supreme Court after the Court threw out an application by MEC to suspend the implementation of the Constitutional Court ruling.
One of the participants at the meeting Moses Mkandawire of the Church and Society of the Livingstonia synod asked Ansah why she and the other commissioners were not leaving the commission as recommended by the Constitutional Court and parliament.
In reply, Ansah said: “We are ready to leave the commission any time but we want to leave it in good condition.”
Things nearly got out of hand in the meeting when Peoples Party secretary general Ibrahim Matola told Ansah to leave the commission with “her bras and underwears.”
But delegates reprimanded Matola for her crass remarks.
A document bearing the name of the South African law firm—Mboweni Maluleke Inc Attorneys—shows that the contract sum is $788 000 (about K600 million), half of which has to be paid in advance on or by March 13 2020.
Are we sure this is not one way of milking Malawi to benefit this woman? Believe you me this Ansah woman will vanish into thin air once a new government is sworn in. She will have the last laugh.
Mwana wakwanyachima pa Luvwere, nice n very important question u asked this idiot Lady Ansah its how we know Atumbuka, straight n applicable questionThanks
Kodi uyu nyumba yake adamanga kuti….1 out millions avutike osatumiz napolo bwanji kunyumba kwake
Ansah and company are putting together their rescue package when they escape from Malawi. The South African lawyers will give part of the money to Ansah in RSA
Use the k600 million to pay Malawian lawyers so at least the money is still in Malawi other than depleting the little forex we have
Jane Ansah, When have you realized that democracy is not cheap? Inunso democracy munatoidziwa or kuifuna? If so, mumapondereza bwanji democracy ya a Malawi n’kuthandiza mwamuna wanu APM kubera mavoti? Didn’t you say there is no money for fresh polls, so where has this K600million come from? You say Kaphale got the same amount, no wonder he kept fooling you all along so he could strip you off all the monies and make you fools in the end! You said you would quit if ConCourt finds you guilty. You were indeed found guilty of incompetence, but instead of quitting, as… Read more »
She is simply an arrogant idiot.
And Matola was not wrong. This woman is irritating and boring. She really strips off the decency of a woman.
Eish, I really underestimated this Jane woman. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory but heesh, I see the Demon in this woman. Who on earth in right mind would do what she is doing? a PhD holder and a self claimed christian. God, we have cried before and you heard us, please intervene in this situation we beg you. Malawi cannot be destroyed because of one or two persons. Lord have Mercy and hear us, once more, we implore.
In what capacity was Kaphale being paid that sort of money…..K600 million? Was it as a private law practitioner or as a govt employee?
Did MEC hire Kaphale as a private individual?
Is this not what the concourt judges said about conflict of interest by the AG?
Has Kaphale deposited the money into the account No.1 yet?
Change of govt is coming in May and this kind of abuse of govt resources will be thoroughly investigated.
Mai Ansa!bwanji osangovomereza.Mwatitopetsa ife.