Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in the country have asked Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Jane Ansah to step down saying they have lost confidence in her.
Leaders of the CSOs say they have lost confidence in Ansah over the way she is handling things concerning elections in the country.
In a press statement which Malawi24 has seen, the CSO leaders, Billy Mayaya, Gift Trapence and Macdonald Sembereka have accused the MEC chair of violating people’s right to be represented in some constituencies and wards in this country.
“We have lost confidence in Justice Ansah’s ability to carry out the mandate of MEC without bias and undue influence from outside forces. Therefore, we maintain our call for Justice Ansah to resign with immediate effect,” reads part of the statement.
MEC postponed the by-elections which were slated to take place on 6 June in some constituencies and wards claiming there were no funds.
The civil society faction feels also that Ansah will compromise the 2019 general elections as they allege that MEC is deliberately obstructing the holding of by-elections in order to give advantage to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Meanwhile, the CSO leaders have announced that they are planning of holding demonstrations aimed at forcing MEC to conduct elections at the end of this month in the Malawi capital, Lilongwe.
“Due to the failure of the Malawi Electoral Commission to hold the by-elections by the 6th June 2017, we plan to hold demonstrations in Lilongwe City South Constituency on the 29th June 2017 to demand the release of adequate resources for the unconditional and unimpeded holding of these elections,” it reads further.
One of the constituencies that need the by-elections is Lilongwe South East constituency where a court ruled that a re-run should be held since the 2014 election in the area were marred with irregularities.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Ulemu Msungama lodged the complaint against the results which indicated that DPP candidate Bentley Namasasu won the parliamentary seat for the constituency.
Anthu akumwera akumawuzana kuti u president usadzapitenso ku chigawo chapakati or kumpoto.