IPI regrets 2011 closure of MEC
Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) executive director Rafiq Hajat says the closure of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for a year in 2011 disturbed an electoral cycle and created new challenges.
The electoral body was in 2011 shut down during the administration of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) by former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika on allegations of suspected fraud at the institution, and two years later, repercussions could be felt.
Making a presentation to journalists on Monday at an electoral reporting workshop in Blantyre, Hajat said it was important to know the outcome of the alleged fraud.
Hajat said Malawians should have been told what happened on the matter because the new commission would not take responsibility.
The activist said due to the unprecedented closure, the electoral cycle was disturbed.
“Problems the closure created include the usual voter registration hiccups, poor quality equipment and inadequate training.
“Civic and voter education may not reach out to the length and breadth,” said Hajat.
The activist said the Capital Hill cash-gate where millions of kwacha public funds have been looted allegedly by the civil servants could exacerbate the low trust in public offices and could negatively impact on elections.
Hajat said as Malawi prepares for the 2014 Tripartite Elections, there shall be no real change as long as governments continued to control the State broadcaster, thereby compromising the independence of the State broadcaster.
He said: “There would be no real change as long as journalists worked for the owner of the publishing house be it public or private and not to the listener and reader.”
The workshop, organised by Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) with sponsorship from Usaid and running from Monday to tomorrow, is being facilitated by an international accomplished journalist Ivor Gaber.
