Kachale coy on MEC post

Former Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Chifundo Kachale says it will be out of order to comment on whether he is ready to serve another term as the position is appointment based.

The High Court of Malawi judge was responding to the question following the expiry on June 6 2024 of  his contract alongside those of ex-commissioners Anthony Mukumbwa and Olivia Liwewe, who were nominated by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in 2020.

The vacancies also come at a time MEC is approaching the September 16 2025 General Elections.

In an interview yesterday, Kachale said the appointing authority, notably the President, will decide on who becomes MEC chairperson.

“It would be out of order for me to speak. But you have to be approached. I did not apply for the job and I will never apply. It is for the leadership to decide,” he said.

On his part, Mukumbwa said MEC and MCP were best placed to speak while  Liwewe could not be reached on her mobile phone.

MEC sources indicated that the trio stopped reporting for duties after their contracts ended.

On when President Lazarus Chakwera would make fresh appointments, pesidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda asked for more time before commenting on the matter.

The commission comprises a chairperson, a judge nominated by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and at least six commissioners appointed by the President in consultation with political parties represented in Parliament.

JSC chairperson Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda, in a brief response yesterday, referred The Nation back to the President, saying “speak to the appointing authority on this matter”.

MEC director of media and public relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa in a WhatsApp response yesterday also said: “We want to leave that to the appointing authority and other stakeholders.”

Former president Peter Mutharika appointed Kachale as chairperson and Mukumbwa and Liwewe as some of the commissioners in the commission he constituted on June 7 2020 ahead of the court-sanctioned fresh presidential election that ushered in Chakwera.

Yesterday, MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka said the party submitted names of their nominees to the President as required by law, but he refused to disclose them.

“Yes, we submitted names for the President to appoint from, as per the dictates of the law. Appointment is the prerogative of the President and the names are, therefore, not for public consumption. The names submitted were only recommendations to him,” he said.

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace national coordinator Boniface Chibwana said it was high time the President filled up all vacancies so that MEC’s 2025 electoral activities should not be affected, especially on timelines for implementing the poll calendar.

He said: “This is a crucial time if you look at the electoral calendar. We have by-elections at Mwasa and Chilaweni wards. We also have planned activities before voter registration.

“This requires that MEC has the chairperson in office and all commissioners on the ground to avoid disrupting the electoral calendar.”

Malawi Electoral Support Network  coordinator Andrew Kachaso said MEC requires the necessary leadership to steer its operations.

He said the vacant positions at the commission would affect various processes, particularly decision-making.

“Without a quorum, key decisions and approvals may stall, hindering the commission’s operations. Prolonged vacancies could also lead to political speculation,” said Kachaso.

Section 4 (3) and (4) of the Electoral Commission Amendment Act of 2017 stipulates that after receiving the nominees, the President shall appoint members of the commission, in accordance with the representation of the nominating political parties in Parliament as determined by the previous General Election.

“In the event of a vacancy in the membership of the commission before the expiry of the term of a commissioner, the President shall notify the political party that nominated the commissioner whose office has fallen vacant to submit a minimum of three names within 14 days of the notification and the President shall appoint a Commissioner from those names within a reasonable time,” reads the section.