Malawians have questioned the integrity of Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson Jane Ansah after she took photos with ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets and politicians at Friday’s inauguration ceremony.
In several pictures shared on social media, Ansah is seen comfortably smiling while surrounded by DPP cadets.
In another photo which has also been widely shared, Ansah shares a lighter moment with DPP parliamentary candidate Limbani Kalilani.
This happened days after the MEC chairperson declared DPP’s Peter Mutharika winner of the May 21 disputed presidential election.
Opposition UTM and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) have rejected results of the polls saying there were irregularities which MEC did not deal with.
The two parties have already launched legal challenges against the results.
For MCP, this a second legal challenge. Last week, the party stopped MEC from announcing results of the presidential election but its injunction was later vacated and Mutharika was declared winner.
Yesterday, MCP president Lazarus Chakwera complained that MEC worked with DPP lawyers to vacate the injunctions instead of recounting the votes as demanded by MCP.
Ansah was also the one who broke the news to Malawians that the injunction had been lifted before she emerged minutes later with a prepared statement to declare Mutharika the winner of the 2019 elections.
Four days later, the MEC chair was seen taking pictures with DPP cadets.
One Malawian described Ansah’s conduct as a case of a “referee celebrating with the winning team.”
On social media, Malawians said the photos suggested that the MEC chairperson was not impartial.
“A beautiful picture telling us a story about the 2019 TPE happy ending to them! Sad ending for a million people,” said one Facebook user.
“Positions like hers requires someone who is independent or at least someone who should be seen to be independent,” said another.
Mukanangolemba in chichewa a Chipi. Kukhala ndiwo bwenzi tikuti mwaphatikiza chambo ndi thelele.Komabe kaganizidwe ndi zimene mwalembazo zikugwilizana!!
She is not mature in mind or because she is old,her mind have changed to childish.if she is a qualified judge.she just bought that certificates.inshort she become a fool.brainless magogo.
Why the fuss? I have seen photos of her with Lazarus Chakwera, smiling. Does it mean she is MCP? This is nothing but propaganda.
Malawians just wait and see!
Chizungu siuthanso, just keep quiet. Jane Ansah is indeed pathetic. May she get what she deserves, our God is not asleep.
Am sad and i will never vote again
Very sad indeed, actions speak louder than words. Its all in the open here, the scales have been removed. You can fool some of the people sometimes but you can’t fool all the people all the time. Bob Marley said this. So yes indeed the Ref is celebrating with the presumed winning team.
Please other than being her position have family members either DPP or UDF or UTM or MCP. Please I don’t agree that can not have party or etc bcz of her position. She should abandon her family bcz avoid you say something? I be seen priest, reverend etc going in houses u can’t expect. However this is just stupid propaganda. Build Malawi than divide Malawi. How madam ppm fight MCP and today they re together. How MCP fight for cashgate and today they re together. Please stop foolish n foolish that can’t build Malawi