The Southern Chapter of the Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum (CSEIF) has dismissed demands by some opposition parties for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mpesi.
Speaking at a media briefing in Blantyre on Saturday, CSEIF Southern Chapter Chairperson Stanley Moyo argued that Mtalimanja and Mpesi were duly appointed to their positions, rendering calls for their resignation unnecessary.
“We believe that the MEC chairperson and CEO were duly appointed, and as such, there is no need for their resignation,” Moyo said. “We should focus on supporting the electoral process rather than trying to undermine it.”
Moyo expressed disappointment with opposition parties’ demands to suspend voter registration, emphasizing the need for political parties to focus on encouraging voter registration for next year’s elections. “We should be promoting voter registration, not calling for its suspension,” he said. “This is a critical period in our electoral cycle, and we should be working together to ensure its success.”
The CSEIF Southern Chapter also questioned opposition parties’ calls to suspend the use of Smartmatic, an electronic voting system. Moyo pointed out that opposition parties were initially part of the decision to introduce the new system, which aims to improve the electoral process.
“We find it surprising that some opposition parties are now calling for the suspension of Smartmatic when they were part of the process that introduced it,” Moyo said. “We should be working together to ensure the success of our electoral process, not trying to undermine it.”
Furthermore, the forum condemned political violence, labelling it “undemocratic and retrogressive.” Moyo called for restraint among party supporters to ensure peace and political coexistence as the country prepares for next year’s general election.
