Embattled MEC Chair Attends SADC Conference
The embattled Malawi Electoral Commission MEC chairperson Justice Dr Jane Ansah is in attendance at the 21st annual general conference of electoral commission forum for SADC countries.
This is the first public meeting the MEC chair has attended since 21st May elections results that saw a number of protests from opposition political parties and other NGO’s asking her to resign for mismanaging elections.
The conference is taking place in Malawi as the country is going through political turmoil since MCP and UTM are challenging the results in court.
In her welcoming remarks MEC chair justice Dr Jane Ansah said the conference is a platform to evaluate how elections can be conducted in SADC countries.
“There is need for electoral management bodies to draw lessons from what elections observers present to them,” Ansah said
The MEC chair further said such bodies are central to integrity of elections in the region.
Vice president of Malawi right honourable Everton Herbert Chimulirenji is the guest of honour.
In his remarks, Chimulirenji said ECF SADC meeting will bring in best ways of conducting elections in the region.
He said it is the right time to reflect where the countries do better and fail and find suitable solutions.
Chimulirenji further said democracy in the world needs reform hence emphasizing the need for all electoral players to make sure that elections are credible, free and fair.
The vice president said electoral bodies should be adequately funded to effectively discharge their duties.
He also said government will ensure that Malawi Electoral Commission is independent from any influence for it to work efficiently.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Defenders Coalition HRDC has said will present its petition to SADC elections forum through a peaceful march from 25th to 27th September.
Addressing the press HRDC member Billy Mayaya said they have already sent a letter of notification to district council and police in Blantyre.
