The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice James Kalaile has quit his post, just three months after the country’s parliamentary and presidential polls. The main opposition Malawi Congress Party and the Mgwirizano coalition (a grouping of five parties) are challenging the presidential results in the high court.
Kalaile has denied that his resignation had anything to do with allegations of vote rigging and calls to overhaul the MEC from civil society and the international community, following its handling of the recent elections.
The European Union said in its report on the elections that there should be laws to prevent the abuse of public resources by the ruling party, which has been accused of giving money to voters. ”Serious steps must now be made to improve the framework for elections and the authorities must demonstrate political will to ensure that the next elections are conducted in line with international standards,” said chief EU observer Marieke Sanders-Ten Holte.
The Southern African Development Community monitoring team said the elections were fair but that a number of issues needed to be addressed.
The major criticism from NGOs and political commentators has been that the results were not released in a transparent manner.
”I would have loved if the MEC chairperson and his team resigned,” said Chancellor College law lecturer Edge Kanyongolo.
”The commision has failed Malawians …. the 2004 elections were a total mess,” commented Chancellor College political science lecturer Nixon Khembo.
Executive director of the Institute for Policy Interaction Rafiq Hajat said: ”What Kalaile has done is an honourable thing. As chairman Kalaile bears the burden of the mistakes that happened during the elections.”
Kalaile is due to appear before a parliamentary committee in September.
Hajat said: ”Kalaila might still appear before the parliamentary committee … to explain to the nation what happened.”
The ruling United Democratic Front’s (UDF) publicity secretary, Information Minister Ken Lipenga, said throughout the electoral process there were complaints against the MEC, including some from his party. ”This is why we entered into dialogue,” he said.
”The electoral commission listened to us and tried their best to address the problem.”
Kalaile presided over the 1999 and 2004 general elections.