Chakwera threatens to reject Malawi presidential election results

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera  has said he will dispute the May 21  presidential election results unless the electoral body ensure his party monitors get the signed copies of the results as he accuses  unnamed people of trying to tamper with poll outcome.

Chakwera said this on Wednesday at his Namiwawa Residence in Blantyre when he addressed a news conference.

He said there were attempts to manipulate the results, claiming he is winning.

Chakwera said the MCP would not accept the poll results if the unnamed people continue to tamper with the poll results.

“We will not allow that the will of the people be bent. We want the Malawi Electoral Commission to rectify the anomalies,” said Chakwera.

He said the figures of projected voters are not tallying with those that voted, alleging that in some centres, MCP monitors are not given result sheets.

He said: “Many MEC monitors are refusing to give our monitors signed results, let MEC rectify this before temperatures rise.”

Continued Chakwera: “Those in power, I know you, you’re trying to tamper with elections.I warn you, you will soon face the long arm of the law.”

MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah, however, conceeded that the commission is still having problems in balancing up final results and the number of people registered and voted.

She, therefore, cautioned the nation to remain calm as election results will not be shortcuts.

Chakwera insists the commission must release proper and verified results “endorsed by party monitors” .

He criticised the delay in releasing the results of the presidential vote, saying it raised concerns about possible manipulation.

Ansah said the delays in the release of the poll results is as a result of failure by some pollster officials to reconcile some figures on some forms.

She ruled out that some “evil forces” as Chakwera described them, are behind the delays of the release of the results because they were tampering with them in a bid to rig the election.

Malawi Election Systems Network (Mesn) executive director Steve Duwa cautioned politicians against pushing the result release.

Duwa said politicians should leave MEC do its job without pressure or hindrance, saying this can have a negative impact on the outcome of the results.

So far, international observers have issued positive reviews, calling Tuesday’s election peaceful.

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