The development also puts to rest President Bingu wa Mutharika's scheme
to force the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to reschedule the
polling day so that he re-strategizes his rigging plans.
Last Saturday evening Mutharika reportedly met MEC Commissioners
secretly at Sanjika Palace and discussed the possibility of postponing
the polls to a later date. This was the second time Mutharika
reportedly met MEC commissioners to consult and be briefed on the polls
preparations.
But MEC Chairperson Justice Anastazia Msosa said on Tuesday after
meeting representatives of all political parties that the polling day
remains May 19, 2009.
This was after opposition political parties took to task the electoral
body not to postpone the date as that would breach the land's laws.
Almost all the errors have been rectified, the voters roll has been
amended after missing names and other inaccurate data were discovered
so the polls will go ahead on May 19. There are some few errors but
those will not hinder anybody from voting, she said.
She said as of Tuesday, everything had been sorted out in all the 3157
polling stations and almost everybody who registered will vote.
There have been rising reports that Mutharika plans to rig the
elections in fear of the grand MCP/UDF coalition led by John Tembo.
Nyasa Times sources say part of the rigging exercise started by
messing-up the voter's roll a tactic which Malawi government is said to
have been advised by specially assigned consultant Vernon Mwaanga, a
Zambia government chief whip in parliament.
Mwaanga has been lodging at the Capital Hotel in Lilongwe using a Mercedenz Benz which previously belonged to Charles Matabwa.
Nyasa Times
Post published in: Zimbabwe News