Mzuzu’s turn against ‘Tippex’ elections as MCP threaten to unleash more protests
President Peter Mutharika has to resolve the country’s political gridlock as supporters of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) protesting his re-election and the party has threatened to unleash more protests throughout the country as part of efforts to pile pressure on Mutharika, who has been sworn in for a second five-year term of office, to step down.
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MCP supporters in Lilongwe and in other parts of the country have been protesting the May 21 Tripartite Election results.
On Friday, it was Mzuzu’s turn in the northern region, as protesters marched from MCP offices near Court House, through Shoprite Roundabout, to Vigwagwa Market, before returning to the M1 Road and ended with a brief vigil at the Court House.
Mzuzu MCP district chairperson Joseph Chavura said they were determined to continue protests until Malawi’s election results are withdrawn and a new vote held.
“The message we have is just simple! We are not happy with a ‘Tippex Government’, we are not happy with ‘Tippex elections’ and we don’t want this ‘Tippex MEC’ to continue. We have started and we will continue, we will bring this down and we will not leave any stone unturned. We want a re-run so that the will of the people is respected,” he said.
MCP are accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of rigging the polls with the help of the president-appointed Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
In Mzuzu the protest march also themed ‘Mutharika Must Fall’ was largely peaceful.
MCP supporters sang: “Tikulira visola vithu mwiba, tikulira mwatolankhu Tippex uyu? Mwabankhungu imwe, fumanipo pampando, wanangwa withu mukutipokerachi? [We cry for our elections, where did you get the Tippex? You thieves, get out of offices, why are you robbing us of our rights?]”.
They proclaimed the names of their party leader Lazarus Chakwera, Saulos Chilima of UTM and Joyce Banda of People’s Party, while questioning why MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah allegedly punished Malawians by declaring Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the May 21 presidential election winner.
Ansahdeclared Mutharika the winner in the re-election with 39 percent of the vote, while MCP’s Chakwera was a close second with 35 percent.
The country’s immediate past vice-president, Chilima, who led UTM Party, came in third with 20 percent.
Chakwera and Chilima are challenging the election results in court, alleging ballot-stuffing and the use of Tipp-Ex correction fluid to change votes.
Speaking on state-run TV Thursday, President Mutharika warned protesters to wait patiently for the court verdict.
Mutharika alleged that Chakwera was orchestrating violence and “bloodshed” in the country to bring chaos.
“I wish to advise you all my fellow Malawians that I have ordered all security agencies, including the Malawi police and Malawi Defense Force, to protect all Malawians and their properties from all those who cause violence and disorder,” he said.
But MCP deputy spokesman Ezekiel Ching’oma said protests will continue.
“We will not be shaken,” he said, adding “our protests are going be peaceful.”
While some election observer missions, both local and international, declared the electoral process free and fair, several others, including the local quasi-religious group Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and the European Union Election Observer Mission expressed some reservations.
In its analysis of the polls, PAC said the results management process lacked credibility, especially in the wake of revelations of use of Tippex, a correction fluid MEC admitted was not part of its inventory.
Speaking to Voice of America, Humphreys Mvula, a political analyst who contested as an independent candidate in parliamentary race for Blantyre-Malabada constituency and lost, was perplexed by the alleged use of the eraser fluid.
“I have never known in my life anywhere, where a contest which is decided by a number of votes, you have used Tipp-Ex, you have used strange eraser,” he said. “You have a problem because, again, the use of eraser was occasioned by the fact that possibly those figures were not able to balance using the computer system.”
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Tippex president warning us not to protest? What a tippex speech!!!Bwelani ku Linlingwe baba tidzakulandileni!! Hehehe….simubwela nanga?
Atumbuka a Khongiless imwe…your memory of Khongiless are very shirt. Chipani ichi chkachimbizga wasambizi. Wakumupoto. Muhanya uno mukutu kwacha kwacha na muhanya. Isaaaaa.
In fact MCP was founded by northerners and enticed H.K . Banda to lead, check history
Eya kaya bwana kupanda ma tipex wa sizikanavuta and am sure you used our taxes to buy tipex and ofcourse you were getting feedback on every progress that you declared yourself a presdent before all count was finished. A geloflend anu anangozisiila panjila kutopa ndi heat ya stress ndikuti anthu anaona za cinyengozi. So you are the one causing all this. If you were wacilungamo mukanazileysetsa and not all that drama mmacita ija plus mapemphero a kukhonde. For long you have been taking us for granted Yes its our freedom to speak up. Ndipo if you can see its middle… Read more »
How about taking the demos to Blantyre or Zomba or elsewhere in the South, abale? Don’t confine them only to the Center and North…. sarcasm intended.
And let’s see how that works out.
Otherwise the organizers are showing cowardice; in politics, you have to push the boundaries beyond one’s comfort zone or bubble.
Stupid president, you are not ashamed that you stole elections…what calm are you appealing. If you were a democrat you could been the one calling for a re-run you will not last…even us in the DPP don’t want you. Who voted for you? You will not last .
Ife sitikupanga nawo ma demowo but unceasingly praying for the fall of Peter Mutharika, the illegitiment president who, with the help of Jane Ansah, has imposed himself on Malawians. INDEED MUTHARIKA MUST FALL!” OUT YOU TIPPEX GOVERNMENT, NOW! NOW! NOW!!!