Political Analyst Says There is more to Demonstrations than Ansah Resignation Calls

Following the Anti-Ansah demonstrations that have been taking place in the country, a political scientist and academic Nandin Patel has said there is more to the weekly demonstrations than the calls for Malawi electoral commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah to resign.

Patel has further argued that it is a personal decision for one to resign and it will remain a moral responsibility.

Patel sensed that no proper strategy has been put in place in as far as removing one in office.

“Is this the way to remove our office-bearers when there are set procedures? Why can’t we abide by rule of law?,” she asked.

She said that demonstrators were also expressing sentiments that they want change and fighting corruption.

Patel said much as demonstrations were a constitutional right, there was a need for clarity on what people are demonstrating for.

Asked Patel: “If we talk about the fight for political justice, why disrupt the work of the electoral management body?”

Patel, an accomplished academic who has extensively researched and published on elections and democracy, said this barely weeks after she also dismissed Ansah’s resignation calls, saying they were lacking legal basis.

The calls for Ansah to resign, are being organized by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) backed by MCP and UTM parties which have petitioned the court to nullify the presidential poll results.

However, both Ansah and Mutharika have denied rigging the vote, with Ansah saying MEC run a credible and fair poll, while the President says he does not know how to rig a vote and he won on a clean slate.