Malawi: New Electoral Chief Appointed Before Rerun

Malawian president, Peter Mutharika, recently announced a new electoral commission head just before fresh presidential elections.

On Sunday, 7 June, Mutharika appointed Justice Kachale as the new chief of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

The landlocked southeastern African country last held elections on 21 May 2019, which saw then president-elect, Peter Mutharika, win 38.57% of the vote. However, evidence of irregularities surfaced shortly thereafter.

Jane Ansah, former chairperson of the MEC, stepped down the day after the results were announced, amid nationwide protests against her fumbling of the controversial outcome.

This led to opposition members bringing the matter to the Constitutional Court, which annulled the results on 3 February, and ordered that fresh elections be held within 150 days of the ruling.

The new chairperson’s work is clear-cut: to deliver a credible presidential election, as demanded by the opposition.

Members of the Malawian Parliament are expected to decide on the date, with one proposal stating 23 June.