The appointment of Justice Anabel Mtalimanja, daughter of the late Hon. John Tembo, as Chair of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has sparked outrage among opposition parties.
They claim that her direct connection to the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) compromises her impartiality and raises serious concerns about conflict of interest.
“As a key position in Malawi’s electoral process, the MEC Chair must demonstrate unquestionable neutrality beyond reasonable doubt,” stated the opposition parties in a joint statement.
While acknowledging Justice Mtalimanja’s “impeccable character and integrity,” they emphasized that her connection to the MCP makes her unsuitable for the role.
“We strongly feel she is not suited for the position of MEC chair, let alone to manage our electoral process,” the statement read.
The opposition parties demanded that Justice Mtalimanja step down as MEC Chair immediately, citing the “inevitable degree of conflict of interest and her political partiality.”
Additionally, they called for the resignation of MEC CEO Andrew Mpesi, a known MCP functionary, arguing that his involvement poses a high risk of electoral disputes.
“With this in mind and to avoid electoral disputes, we demand that the MEC CEO steps down forthwith,” the statement concluded.
