The Joint Civil Society Platform On Good Governance (JCSPGG) has asked Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to suspended voter registration exercise scheduled to kick-start Saturday on 4th April in some district across the country.
The Platform made the appeal on Thursday evening after Malawi registered first three cases of Covid-19, saying the registration will put Malawians on a high risk hence the need to suspend the exercise.
“We write to request MEC to consider suspending the voter registration exercise in the advent of confirmed covid-19 cases in the country until the spread is contained.
Continuing with the registration process will put Malawians at risk,” said Fryson Chodzi, National Coordinator for the platform.
The platform further advised MEC to ask the court to extend the time frame for holding fresh presidential elections.
“We call upon MEC to immediately move the courts and seek relief on the time frame of holding the fresh presidential polls. It is our strong belief that the right to life and health in more scared that any other,” said Chodzi
He added: “We believe that any political player who has the best interest of Malawians, would agree to moving forward the dates of the elections, because there is no time frame to contain the virus apart from mitigating the factors that risk the spread.”
Recently, MEC Chairperson said asked the civil society organization and concerned Malawians to move to the court on behalf of the commission.
“It is up to the citizens to here to take action to go to the court and seek relief that with the current threat of Covid-19 the Commission my not hold an election that adheres to all provisions of the law….,” Dr Ansah said.
The Constitutional Court on 3rd February nullified the 2019 presidential election results and ordered a fresh election within 150 days and MEC announced that it conduct the polls on 2nd of July 2020.
