A political analyst has faulted President, Peter Mutharika for re-appointing Dr Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje as commissioners of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
On Sunday evening, the office of the president and cabinet announced that president Mutharika has appointed Justice Dr Chifundo Kachale as new Chairperson of MEC.
It was also announced that Arthur Nanthuru, Steve Duwa, Dr Jean Mathanga, Ms Linda Kunje, Dr Anthony Mukumbwa and Mrs Olivia Liwewe have been appointed as commissioners.
Mathanga and Kunje were also part of the commission that was deemed incompetent by the court that nullified the 2019 elections. The old commissioner’s contracts expired on June 5 but only Mathanga and Kunje have been re-appointed.
Reacting to the development, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche said the court and Parliament found commissioners Mathanga and Kunje to be hopelessly incompetent.
Mkhutche said re-appointing Mathanga and Kunje is in utter defiance of the two arms of government.
“We have old Commissioners in the name of Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje. These were deemed incompetent by PAC. They should not have been part of the new MEC,” he said
He, however, noted that commissioners are suggested by parties and the president appoints from the list of nominees.
“We just need to trust that this is the best we can have,” said Mkhutche.
Mkhutche then commended president Mutharika for his urgency on the matter.
He said: “It is a great development. We need new MEC Commissioners for the fresh Presidential election and other subsequent ones. President Mutharika should be commended to treating the matter with the urgency it deserved.
He further urged the appointees to be honest on the forthcoming fresh presidential election so that they can regain people’s trust in MEC.
