Ansah set to resign as PAC says Malawi electoral commissioners fired
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah has revolved to resignfrom her post following the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal judgement upholding the nullification of the May 21 2019 presidential election and querying the electoral body’s competency, Nyasa Times understands.
Ansah has confided to one of the MEC officials that she is “throwing in the towel”, saying her position and that of the commission is “untenable” after a botched presidential election last year.
The MEC chairperson, who is judge at Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, vowed forcefully that she could resign if Supreme Court upheld lower court decision.
On Friday, the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal has upheld the February 3 2020 decision of the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court.
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) which led nationwide demonstrations demanding Ansah’s head for presiding over a flawed electoral process has asked her to step down.
HRDC leaders comprising national coordinator Luke Tembo, Central Region chairperson McDonald Sembereka and executive members Billy Mayaya and Andrew Salima said the Supreme Court’s decision vindicated their demand to ask Ansah to go.
“We remember that when we told Malawians that MEC did not manage the election well, we demanded that the commission should resign but they said they will resign if the Supreme Court judgement faults them,” said Sembereka.
But one of the commissioners said Ansah has decided to go back to Judiciary as a Judge.
“She is going to announce her departure at MEC,” said a source in the commission.
Meanwhile, quasi-religious body, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has said Ansah and her fellow commissioners should leave the pollster offices immediately because the Supreme Court ruling has fired them.
PAC spokesperson Gilford Matonga said:“President Peter Mutharika no longer needs to fire them. The Supreme Court ruling is self-explanatory on what should be done. They just need to leave the MEC offices, they have been fired.”
He said the commissioners should not wait for some people to push them out of office.
The Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday upheld the Constitutional Court ruling of February 3 which annulled last year’s presidential election over alleged irregularities.
MEC had appealed the historic decision of the five-judge panel of the High Court sitting as the Constitutional Court.
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If you add chakwera/chilima votes in 2019, it’s almost 2.8 million, Peter / atupele adds up to 2.2 million votes that’s minus tippex ones,a gap of almost 600000 votes I can’t see all this pipo changing and voting for dpp/UDF alliance..copied
Jane Ansah for president. Now!
Ha mfiti siingachoke iyi!
Jane and an has proved to the nation that she not a good judge at all. How I wish all the judgements she has delivered in the court be revealed
She and her entire group of leaches should have fallen on their swords even before the initial court ruling to pave way for the court case and an investigation (if ACB decides to initiate one). That’s how mature leaders / people in mature democracies handle things. People respect you for humility as opposed of being a hard ass! Since she said she would be heading back to the judicial / legal circuit, I wonder how people would look at the court cases she would preside on and the eventual judgements from now on. Personally I would straight forward ask for… Read more »
Useless Ansa just resign now. We do not need you.
The damage she has caused to her reputation is irreparable and that to the country is long lasting. One wonders what this woman has gained? This woman has caused tremendous pain to a lot Malawians. Let her now enjoy her blood money till the day God decides to take her away from this life
and commissioner kunje kuchita kuyankhula mwa thamo kut mupite kulikonse we are still holding our offices olo atakhala kut masiku ake mpaka athe okhala mu office watsala ndimasiku angat kut utulukemo mwamgwilizano kut uli delere dziko motelo uli ndi mphamvu zochuluka bwanji mpaka kudelera dziko for the better of our Jane Ansah SC sikut akasiya pansi udindo ndekut apusa ayi ndibwinonso kutelo than kut zisankho zina zikubweranzi zikasokonekela ena kuluza mkuzapita ku court azakalipile dollah zake ayi mama jane ndikukuvomelezani paganizo lanu losiya pansi udindo mukapitilize zomwe munkachita tione kut dziko lipanga chani akunenani kwambiri ndinu mai wambiri yanu makolo… Read more »
Akanangotuladi mwaulemu, sizabqino nkomwe kuti tipiteso pa sewu
Nobody is remaining, everyone must pack and go. Thieves!!
Shame on MCP, UTM, HRDC, PP, CFT, ConCourt and Supreme Court bullies. Ansah is an intelligent and strong woman. Keep going – you are an excellent role model.
You should be ashamed of your self.
Izinso ndiye ziti? Kumva kuwawa cadeti ndichigamulo?
Jane Ansah should NOT resign. She and MEC administered parliamentary and local government elections well. The courts have not annulled that so let her stay put.