MESN Questions MEC’S Capacity

Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) and major political parties have questioned the capacity of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to handle the elections and its results next month after failing to completely conduct a registration exercise.

 The groupings expressed their sentiments in response to the recruitment of 550 teachers to rework on the voters' roll that was characterized by among other things missing names, transposed photographs, and unregistered names.

 

MESN chairperson Aloysius Nthenda said teachers will be required to go back to all centers across the country check original names against those logged in the computer to set the record right.

 

"The issue of extensions keeps rearing its ugly head over and over again in MEC's every step towards the elections. There is in my view capacity challenge and we wonder whether the staff were adequately trained for registration," he said.

United Democratic Front spokesman Robert Jameson said MEC is bent on fire fighting.

 

"The process of registration is relatively clear. To register names, put data into a computer and examine it later. MEC has enough clerks to do that but it would seem the commission is strategizing by employing the teachers", said Jameson.

 

Malawi Congress Party Spokesperson Ishmael Chafukira said the commission should apologize to Malawians.

 

"MEC is behaving suspiciously. It has hidden agenda and its poll results may not be credible. Are 500 teachers even enough for the exercise?" asked Chafukira.

 

Democratic Progressive Party spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba said though his party has no full details, it welcomed anything the commission can do to respond to complaints and shortfalls it uncovered.

 

MEC's chief elections officer David Bandawe said the 500 teachers were simply doing the work that should have been done by registrants that did not go for verification.

 

"Obviously we did not budget for this. But no one should jump to the conclusion about the credibility of elections results. Let us cross the bridge when we get there. We are still in the preparatory stage and that is why the verification phase was slotted in to rectify any problems," said Bandawe.

 

Source: The Nation 20 April 2009