PAC To Summon Jane Ansah Within 10 Days

Public Appointments Committee (PAC) is expected to summon Malawi Electoral Commission Jane Ansah within the next 10 days to question her on the allegations being made by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) that she presided over a fraudulent election in May.

HRDC has called for Ansah to be fired and PAC summoned them to find out what their claims against the MEC chair are.

PAC as the appointing committee is mandated to recommend the firing of an officer deemed incompetent to President Peter Mutharika who is the appointing authority.

Mutharika told British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC) that he can not succumb to pressure to fire Ansah because he does not see any wrong doing in the way she handled the results which made him president.

PAC will investigate the claims made by HRDC in three days and has seven days to get Ansah to Parliament to defend herself.

Since the political debacle started Ansah has remained adamant and exercised her right to remain silent as the matter is in the Constitutional Court.

UTM and Malawi Congress Party are challenging the outcome of the results.

PAC Chairperson Collins Kajawa said the meeting with HRDC showed them there are contentious issues that need to be investigated but they want to uphold protocol.

However, there could be an obstacle to expedite the process of summoning Ansah as Parliament will be meeting to pass the 2019/2020 budget.