Data entry clerks threatened–Mbendera

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Maxon Mbendera says results have been slowly trickling in because in some areas data entry clerks have been threatened by some individuals who did not want them to send the results.

Mbendera was responding to a question on why the commission has not yet started announcing results even from areas where there were no hiccups.

“We have asked them to restart work. Therefore we expect the results to delay. They will be transmitting the results in the course of the day. Bear with us,” he said.

He added that as a norm the commission starts announcing results when they have received at least 30 percent of the results from the total number of centers–at the moment there are 444 centers.

“We are not yet at 30 percent when we get there we will let you know,” he said as a crowd of journalists surrounded him trying to find out whether the commission has not received enough results to start announcing.

While not discrediting results from radio stations such as Zodiak Broadcasting Station and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Mbendera said MEC could not start announcing results because they are also taking into consideration complaints that they have received.

“Our lawyers are looking at and analyzing the complaints that we have received so far.”

At the moment the tally center is almost deserted as people wait to reconvene in the afternoon.