ECF-SADC Executive Committee Chairperson Says “We are not in Malawi to Comment on political Impasse”

Following criticisms from different stakeholders on the move made by the Electoral Commissions Forum for Southern AFrica Development Community (SADC) Countries (ECF-Sadc) to host the Annual General Conference in the country, ECF-SADC Executive Committee Chairperson Notemba Tjipeuja, has said they are not in Malawi to comment on the impasse.

Tjipeuja madde the remarks right after vice president Everton Chimulirenji officially inaugurated the conference.

In her remarks Tjipeuja said they are aware of the stuation the country is currently in and the court cases but they are not obliged tocomment on the matter arguing commenting on issues that are in court can be defined as subdijuce.

“We came up with a report which was issued. We are also aware of the ongoing court cases. We understand that commenting on cases that are in court is subjudice so we are not prepared as forum to make any comment on the matter,” she said.

Malawi is hosting the conference at a time results of the presidential elections in the May 21 tripartite elections are being challenged in court and on the streets with some quarters saying the country does not have a moral standing to host such an event.

But Ansah, who is ECF-Sadc president, said could not comment on the calls that the country should not have hosted the event.

“Everyone has a right to their opinion but you should know that we did not just wake up today and host this conference. When we met in Lesotho last year, Malawi was elected president of the forum and this was our turn to host the conference here,” she said.

Ansah also said the hosting of the event was not an endorsement of the elections which are being challenged in the courts.