MEC chair to lead AU observer team
The African Union (AU) has appointed Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Supreme Court Judge Maxon Mbendera to lead the team of observers the union will deploy to observe elections in Swaziland.
MEC said in a statement that Mbendera will lead a team comprising Pan-African parliamentarians, AU permanent representative committee, electoral management bodies and civil society organisations.
The Kingdom of Swaziland will hold parliamentary elections on September 20 and the observer mission started its work on September 13 and will finalise on September 25 2013.
Commenting on his appointment, Mbendera said it symbolises the confidence that international organisations have in MEC in election management.
He said: “The AU has over 54 member States and they could have appointed anyone from these countries. The fact that they have settled for the MEC chairman to lead the team it shows that they appreciate the credibility of our institution and in me as a person.”
In a related development, MEC has deployed commissioner Stanley Biliati and its director of electoral services Henzile Munkhondiya as observers in Swaziland under the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Electoral Commission Forum.
The two left the country on September 11 and Mbendera is expected to join them on September 15 2013.
