President Peter Mutharika has broken the silence on the calls by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) requesting him to fire Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah, saying he is not in a position to make the decision.
Mutharika said this during an exclusive interview with an international media the British Broadcasting Corporation (BCC) on Monday.
According to Mutharika the situation is complicated saying the opposition are refusing to concede defeat, as other people are challenging Ansah decision at the same time others are calling for her resignation.
“We have a very complicated problem here in that the opposition through the Human Rights Defenders Coalition refused to accept the results of the election. They went to court and the issue before the court is whether the election was mismanaged or not. And the chairperson was Justice Jane Ansah. At the same time they are demanding her resignation. The demonstrations are about her resignation. At the same time, they are in court to challenge her decision. That’s where the problems are,” Mutharika said.
When he was asked if he considered firing Ansah in order to resolve the political impasse, Mutharika said it is not his job to make Ansah step down.
“No, it’s not my job to ask her to step down,” he said.
Mutharika continued that international bodies confirmed that the “election was fair and credible”
The 80 year old president continued by asking a question “All these groups have said the election was fair, credible and transparent. And so why should I ask her to resign?”
Mutharika added that those that feel like the elections were not credible should decide and stop contradicting themselves.
“That’s why they have gone to court. Why are they going to the streets at the same time? They have to decide. Don’t you see the contradiction there?” asked Mutharika.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has been organizing Anti-Ansah demonstrations which have been carrying United Transformation Movement (UTM) and Malawi Congress party (MCP) support.
Ironically, UTM and MCP are challenging the presidency of Mutharika in court.
