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| National |
| Opposition probing loss of Electoral Commission cameras,Opposition probing loss of Electoral Commission cameras |
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by
Joseph Langa,Joseph Langa, 06 January 2004
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09:17:26
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Three Electoral Commission cameras are reported missing at Blantyre City Assembly and opposition parties say they have launched an investigation as they suspect foul play.
The parties have also described as suspicious the census that the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) conducted in Blantyre on Sunday on instructions from President Bakili Muluzi, claiming it may be one of the party’s strategies to rig elections starting with registration.
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) director of elections Hophmally Makande said on Monday his party has information that three cameras have been lost at Blantyre City Assembly and said NDA took up the matter with the Electoral Commission, which he said, has not taken any action.
Makande said his party is suspicious because they fear that the cameras may be used to institute a parallel registration exercise since he said “the assembly was also involved in the registration of 18-year-old pupils in primary schools in the city evidenced by the use of its vehicles”.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) director of elections Jodder Kanjere said MCP is aware of the issue of the lost cameras and has also instituted its own investigation on the matter.
But Electoral Commission Spokesperson Fegus Lipenga said only one camera got lost and has now been found, claiming it was misplaced in the office of the Elections Clerk based at the City Assembly and dismissed opposition allegations as mere speculation.
Blantyre City Chief Executive Sophie Kalimba who is the Returning officer for the elections said she is not aware that any camera was lost at the assembly, saying she needed to investigate the matter with officers on the ground.
NDA president Brown Mpinganjira told the press in Lilongwe Saturday that the party demanded an explanation from the commission on the loss but said commission is dodging them. Lipenga said he was not aware.
Kanjere also said he was suspicious of the census conducted by the UDF in Blantyre under Muluzi’s instructions as reported by the Daily Times on Monday. He said it could be one of the ruling party’s ways of rigging the elections and MCP are probing the matter.
But UDF spokesperson Ken Lipenga disputed the allegations, describing the exercise as a normal strategy that parties use to gauge their support. He said there is nothing sinister about the exercise.
“As parties we need to know how many people we have as supporters and for you to come up with that you need to do some sort of a head count,” said Lipenga, who also disputed fears by the opposition on the alleged loss of cameras at the Blantyre City assembly which he said he was not aware about.
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Three Electoral Commission cameras are reported missing at Blantyre City Assembly and opposition parties say they have launched an investigation as they suspect foul play.
The parties have also described as suspicious the census that the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) conducted in Blantyre on Sunday on instructions from President Bakili Muluzi, claiming it may be one of the party’s strategies to rig elections starting with registration.
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) director of elections Hophmally Makande said on Monday his party has information that three cameras have been lost at Blantyre City Assembly and said NDA took up the matter with the Electoral Commission, which he said, has not taken any action.
Makande said his party is suspicious because they fear that the cameras may be used to institute a parallel registration exercise since he said “the assembly was also involved in the registration of 18-year-old pupils in primary schools in the city evidenced by the use of its vehicles”.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) director of elections Jodder Kanjere said MCP is aware of the issue of the lost cameras and has also instituted its own investigation on the matter.
But Electoral Commission Spokesperson Fegus Lipenga said only one camera got lost and has now been found, claiming it was misplaced in the office of the Elections Clerk based at the City Assembly and dismissed opposition allegations as mere speculation.
Blantyre City Chief Executive Sophie Kalimba who is the Returning officer for the elections said she is not aware that any camera was lost at the assembly, saying she needed to investigate the matter with officers on the ground.
NDA president Brown Mpinganjira told the press in Lilongwe Saturday that the party demanded an explanation from the commission on the loss but said commission is dodging them. Lipenga said he was not aware.
Kanjere also said he was suspicious of the census conducted by the UDF in Blantyre under Muluzi’s instructions as reported by the Daily Times on Monday. He said it could be one of the ruling party’s ways of rigging the elections and MCP are probing the matter.
But UDF spokesperson Ken Lipenga disputed the allegations, describing the exercise as a normal strategy that parties use to gauge their support. He said there is nothing sinister about the exercise.
“As parties we need to know how many people we have as supporters and for you to come up with that you need to do some sort of a head count,” said Lipenga, who also disputed fears by the opposition on the alleged loss of cameras at the Blantyre City assembly which he said he was not aware about.
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