Former AG Charles Mhango Slams MEC On Smartmatic

Former Attorney General Charles Mhango has diplomatically slammed MEC for proposing indicating that counting of elections results will start on the 17th and not the 16th “immediately” after voting as the law provides for .

Mhango has cited Section 91 of the Presidential, Parliamentary, Local Government Act of 2023 which does not support MEC s position on that and this may be concluded by opposition and other stakeholders as a ploy by MEC to rig elections.

Mhango quotes Section 91: For the avoidance of doubt, Section 91 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act of 2023 provides that, “Immediately after the close of the poll at any polling station, the presiding officer shall bring all ballot boxes at one place, and, in the presence of polling station officers and representatives of political parties and candidates, if any is present, open the ballots boxes and order the counting of the votes to proceed..”

There is no ambiguity about when vote counting will start.

What is MEC up to?

Share With:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Comments

Related News

174 UDF Members Join DPP in Machinga

A total of 174 United Democratic Front (UDF) members have defected to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Machinga District. The high-profile defection ceremony took place at Namitoso Primary School, with DPP Eastern Region Governor Hon. Daud Chikwanje welcoming the new members. The defectors, hailing from UDF regional offices, districts, and constituencies, pledged unwavering support for DPP and its presidential candidate, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, ahead of the September 16 polls. Chikwanje’s appointment has triggered a significant shift in the region’s political landscape, attracting thousands of members from other parties to join DPP. According to the 2024 AFROBAROMETER Dispatch number 782 published by Eric Otu Bechaam, voting intentions at the time of survey indicates that His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika was leading by 43% while Chakwera of MCP was trailing behind with 29% while other smaller political parties such as UTM was at 7% , UDF got 2%, other parties shared 1% while undecided voters was at 14% for the Presidential Election. The survey was conducted on the premises of economic gloom where very few Malawians hold hope for improvement after five years of poor economic policies under Chakwera’s administration. It is reported that with the current political landscape, many people from other parties will be joining the DPP in large numbers and it is predicted that 50% of voters in the central region will vote for DPP as well.

Lilongwe, Malawi

Parties Snub MCP on Alliance ahead of September Polls

The Governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has stated that no political party has approached them to form an alliance ahead of the September elections. In an interview with Capital FM, MCP’s Second Vice Publicity Secretary Ken Msonda says despite the lack of interest from other parties, MCP is fully prepared for the elections and is confident of victory with or without an alliance. “MCP is ready for the elections, we believe we will win, whether or not we go into an alliance,” said Msonda. He further noted that the party is actively working on the ground to address the needs of Malawians and expressed confidence that citizens will re-elect President Lazarus Chakwera in September’s polls. Meanwhile, political commentator George Chaima suggests that other parties may be reluctant to form an alliance with MCP, claiming the party prefers to operate independently.

Lilongwe, Malawi

Survey Reveals Malawians Want Chakwera of MCP Out; DPP’s Mutharika, the Best Option

A survey conducted by Malawi24 on their Facebook Page this week seen by this paper has revealed that 81% of the population do not want Reverend Lazarus Chakwera of MCP to continue as president of Malawi come 16 September 2025. This is coming at a time when the President assured Malawians during the opening ceremony of this year’s Trade Fair on Friday 23rd May, 2025 in Blantyre that he will win the forthcoming presidential elections with landslide . “Whether you like it or not, I am a winning the presidential elections come 16th September, 2025′. His Excellency the President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera said this confidently amid ululations from party loyalists who attended the function. 14000 respondents participated in the survey on the question of whether Chakwera must be voted out or be re-elected in September, 2025 to continue governing Malawi for the next five years. 11,337 respondents representing 81% said Chakwera must pack up and go because he has miserably failed Malawians in many ways. 1,739, representing 13% approved of his leadership style saying Chakwera must be re-elected in September, 2025 to continue governing the country while 737 are undecided. Chakwera became president of the Republic of Malawi after the controversial June, 2020 Constitutional Court ruling on the 2019 Presidential Elections in which the Court ruled in favor of the Malawi Congress Party MCP and United Transformation Movement UTM to nullifying the 2019 Presidential Elections which declared Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika a winner. Chakwera won the election on the Tonse Alliance ticket after over promising Malawians that he was the one to transform the economy and fix broken systems only to worsen the situation. Currently, Chakwera’s approval rating is below 20% against over 50% rating in 2020. Meanwhile, all surveys and public opinion polls are in favour of DPP Presidential candidate, His Excellency the Former President of the Republic of Malawi, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika as the next president of Malawi.

Lilongwe, Malawi

Vitumbiko Mumba Declares War on Chimwendo and Others; Appeals Discharge of Injunction

Minister of Trade Vitumbiko Mumba has decided to appeal the injunction discharge done by the party leadership and he has since declared what he term war on the ‘Ukraine- Russia War’ on party’s Secretary General Richard Chimwendo Banda and others in a WhatsApp group called in “Friends of Vitumbiko Mumba” where most people are from the Northern Region. This is what he has posted on his wall; “I have just arrived in Tanzania where I have been invited by Thabo Mbeki to attend the Thabo Mbeki Africa Day Public Lecture and participate in round table discussions on Pan African matters. Remember tomorrow is Africa Day. What I can say are the following: 1. Lies have short legs and be assured, they are acting based on lies which will embarrass them soon 2. I will challenge the discharge plus whatever was used to discharge the injunction. As we speak, the lawyers are working on it this evening. 3. Watch the events as they unfold as it will be very interesting and shocking. 4. Many have been asking me to stand as an independent candidate, which is easier and cheaper. But look, that will be giving in to a few greedy and selfish but noisy individuals who use the party for their selfish goals. Our victory on this matter will liberate many who are oppressed by such gullible individuals 5. The team on the ground, the right voters during primaries, are disappointed by all this and if I dump them, they will be devastated because the “declared winner” used non-party members and non-position holders to hold bogus primaries. They are complaining as you are. 6. As I said last time, real battles are yet to unfold and this one is one of them. But in all these battles, we will conquer. 7. In politics, there is a huge price that one has to pay for refusing to be a bootlicker and hand- clapper of those that bulldoze everything. It’s a temporary issue which will disappear soon 8. Lastly, know that from 1 June onwards, we will be in the constituency and we will get that parliamentary seat at all costs. Those on the ground know the truth that is why these people are doing their best to give a picture that am not popular in the Constituency. In case there are any questions, please feel free and I will respond.” But know that I deeply appreciate your presence here and your love. Don’t be moved at all because I am not moved. Mumba concluded.

Lilongwe, Malawi