Jane Ansah

Last updated

Justice Dr. Jane Mayemu Ansah, S.C. (born 11 October 1955) is the former chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission. She is also a former Malawian Supreme Court Judge and was the first female Attorney General in Malawi. [1] [2] [3] She is most known for her role as the head of the Malawi's Electoral Commission during the 2019 general elections. Her role in this position sparked national protests both in support and in opposition to her role due to election irregularities resulting in protestors calling for her resignation. [4] In July 2020, she left Malawi for UK. [5]

Contents

Career

She served as a High Court judge from December 1998. She then served as Attorney General of Malawi from 2006 to 2011. She was appointed as the Supreme Court of Appeals judge in 2011. Ansah was appointed to Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission in October 2016 succeeding Justice Maxon Mbendera. [6] [7]

2019 Malawi elections

She was accused of mismanaging the 2019 Malawian general election which led to the Jane Ansah Must Fall campaign in which nation-wide anti-Jane Ansah protests calling for her resignation occurred in June and July 2019. [8] [9] A group of women (pro-Jane Ansah camp), led by Seodi White and Minister of Gender Mary Navicha argued that Ansah was a victim of sexism and gender discrimination. [10] They staged a counter protests that were in solidarity of Jane Ansah and her role in the elections. [11] Thousands of women marched in defense of her role in the elections, many wearing shirts written "I am Jane Ansah". [12] Both the High Court of Malawi (sitting as a Constitutional Court) and the Supreme Court of Malawi in their respective rulings which nullified the elections, found the electoral commission under her leadership incompetent and negligent.

Calls for Jane Ansah were intensified by the wave of demonstrations that were led by Civil society group Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) that was led by Timothy Mtambo, Gift Trapence, Billy Mayaya, Luke Tembo, Mcdonald Sembereka and Others. [13] Other groups also demanded that Ansah resign, with Malawi Congress Party Diaspora Network Chairperson Chalo Mvula also adding calls Ansah to go. [14]

Resignation

On 21 May 2020, Ansah announced her resignation as chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission after two successive court rulings confirmed massive irregularities in the 2019 elections. Consequently the courts ordered that fresh presidential elections be held. On 22 May 2020 President Arthur Peter Mutharika accepted her resignation. [15] On 7 June 2020, President Mutharika appointed Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale as the new MEC chairperson replacing Judge Ansah. [16]

Related Research Articles

The history of Malawi covers the area of present-day Malawi. The region was once part of the Maravi Empire. In colonial times, the territory was ruled by the British, under whose control it was known first as British Central Africa and later Nyasaland. It becomes part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The country achieved full independence, as Malawi, in 1964. After independence, Malawi was ruled as a one-party state under Hastings Banda until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Malawi</span>

Politics of Malawi takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Malawi is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. There is a cabinet of Malawi that is appointed by the President of Malawi. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Malawi</span>

Malawi elects on the national level a head of state and government – the President – and a national assembly. The President and members of the National Assembly, elected simultaneously at a General Election, together form the Malawian Parliament owing to the President's role as both head of government and head of state. In practice however, the National Assembly is on par with the executive and is able to exercise oversight functions through investigations and public hearings on various matters including those involving the executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Progressive Party (Malawi)</span> Political party in Malawi

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a political party in Malawi. The party was formed in February 2005 by Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the United Democratic Front (UDF), which was led by his predecessor, Bakili Muluzi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joyce Banda</span> President of Malawi from 2012 to 2014

Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian politician, who served as President of Malawi, from 7 April 2012 to 31 May 2014. Banda took office as President following the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party, created in 2011. An educator and grassroots women's rights activist, she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and the Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to April 2012. She has served in various roles as a member of Parliament and as Minister of Gender and Child Welfare before she became the President of the Republic of Malawi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Malawian general election</span> General Election held in Malawi on 19 May 2009

General elections were held in Malawi on 19 May 2009. Incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika ran for re-election; his main opponent was John Tembo, the president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Five other candidates also ran. The election was won by Mutharika, who was re-elected to the Presidency with around two-thirds of the vote. Mutharika's DPP also won a strong parliamentary majority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Mutharika</span> President of Malawi from 2014 to 2020

Arthur Peter Mutharika is a Malawian politician and lawyer who was President of Malawi from May 2014 to June 2020. Mutharika has worked in the field of international justice, specialising in international economic law, international law and comparative constitutional law. He informally served as an adviser to his older brother, President Bingu wa Mutharika, on issues of foreign and domestic policy from the onset of his election campaign until the President's death on 5 April 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atupele Muluzi</span> Malawian politician

Atupele Muluzi is a Malawian politician, businessman and was a Member of Parliament for Machinga North East constituency from 2004 until May 27, 2019. He is also the President of the United Democratic Front and was a presidential candidate during the 2019 election. He was a running mate in the 2020 presidential elections, on a coalition ticket with incumbent President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party. Muluzi was Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining from 2014 to 2015 and the only opposition member to serve in the Mutharika administration. Subsequently, he served as Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security in 2015, and then Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in 2015. He is the son of the former president Bakili Muluzi.

Patricia Annie Kaliati is a Malawian politician and former educator who has held various ministerial positions in the Cabinet of Malawi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Tembo</span> Malawian politician

Nancy Gladys Tembo is a Malawian politician and serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Malawi Government since 2022. She is also a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Lilongwe City South West constituency in the National Assembly of the Republic of Malawi.

Reverend MacDonald Sembereka is a Malawian reverend, civil and human rights activist. He is the acting national coordinator of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), a network of 91 local civil society and non-governmental organizations. He has been at the forefront of coordinating the nationwide protests in Malawi that began July 20, 2011. In May 2021, it was revealed that he had been appointed to serve at Malawi's Mission at the United Nations in New York. His appointment was widely seen as a reward for his role in the nationwide demonstrations which contributed to the sanctioning of fresh presidential elections by Malawi's high court. Other members of the HRDC were also appointed to various Missions abroad, a move widely seen as an attempt to silence the human rights group. Sembereka is widely known for his controversial lifestyle which is widely viewed as unusual for a reverend. He also served as the Executive Director of Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with HIV/AIDS (MANERELA).

The 2012 Malawian constitutional crisis occurred from April 5, 2012 - April 7, 2012 after senior members of the Democratic Progressive Party-led cabinet failed to notify the public of the death of the sitting president, Bingu wa Mutharika on April 5. Instead, cabinet ministers held a series of meetings in Lilongwe, Malawi without vice-president Joyce Banda with the aim of undermining the constitution and Banda's succession to Presidency. News confirming his death had, however, quickly spread across the country through word of mouth, cellphone text messages, Malawian bloggers, Twitter, Facebook, and on listservs by the end of the day on April 5, 2012. Therefore, the failure to announce his death resulted in speculation over the real health of the president and over whether the succession procedures would be followed as outlined in the constitution. According to the constitution, the vice-president takes over but there had been no official word on a successor or communication with the vice-president. Amidst growing speculation, the Cabinet announced that the president's brother, Peter Mutharika, the foreign minister, was the new President of the party on April 6. The Cabinet only announced his death two days after his death, after which Banda became Malawi's first female President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lazarus Chakwera</span> President of Malawi since 2020

Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera is a Malawian politician and theologian who has served as President of Malawi since June 2020. He has served as the leader of the Malawi Congress Party since 2013. He was President of the Malawi Assemblies of God from 1989 to 2013.

Anastasia Msosa was the Chief Justice of Malawi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Malawian general election</span>

General elections were held in Malawi on 20 May 2014. They were Malawi's first tripartite elections, the first time the president, National Assembly and local councillors were elected on the same day. The presidential election was won by opposition candidate Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party, who defeated incumbent President Joyce Banda.

Grace Chiumia, is a Malawian politician who has served as Minister of Civic education in the Malawian cabinet, since 24 October 2017. Before her current appointment, she was the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, in the Malawian Cabinet, from 6 September 2016 until 24 October 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Malawian general election</span>

General elections were held in Malawi on 21 May 2019 to elect the President, National Assembly and local government councillors. Incumbent President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party was re-elected, with his party remaining the largest in the National Assembly. However, on 3 February 2020, the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential election results due to evidence of irregularities, and ordered fresh elections be held. They were widely dubbed the "Tipp-Ex elections" after a brand of correction fluid which opponents claimed had been used to tamper with votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Malawian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Malawi on 23 June 2020, having originally been scheduled for 19 May and later 2 July. They followed the annulment of the results of the 2019 presidential elections, in which Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party had received the most votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khumbize Chiponda</span> Malawian Minister of Health and politician

Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda is a Malawian politician. In 2020 she became Minister of Health in Malawi.

Timothy Mtambo of Chitipa is a Malawian politician and serves as Minister of Civic Education and National Unity in Malawi government since 2020. Prior to active politics, Mtambo was a human rights activist. He is mostly known for the role he played by leading demonstrations against the regime of President Peter Mutharika, accusing the regime of nepotism and corruption. Mtambo also holds the position of Commander in Chief of Citizen for Transformation Movement (CFT).

References

  1. ↑ "Jane Ansah SC appointed Malawi Election Commission Chairperson". The Maravi Post. 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  2. ↑ Kumbani, Precious. "Ansah sworn in as MEC chairperson – The Nation Online" . Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  3. ↑ "Justice Ansah sworn in as new Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson". Malawi Nyasa Times. 2016-10-22. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  4. ↑ "MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah has become a hero to many Malawi Women". The Maravi Post. 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  5. ↑ "Malawi: Ansah Cleared to Exit Malawi for UK Through Zambia". 7 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Simutowe, Yamikani. "APM appoints four new High Court Judges: Dr Jane Ansah is new MEC Chair". www.mbc.mw. Archived from the original on 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  7. ↑ "Ansah sworn in as MEC chairperson | the Nation Online". 22 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Malawi's concerned youths on MEC Chair Jane Ansah must fall campaign". The Maravi Post. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  9. ↑ Online, M. B. C. "Thousands of women join 'IamJaneAnsah' solidarity march in Blantyre". www.mbc.mw. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  10. ↑ Mk, Lucky; awire (9 July 2019). "Minister to lead pro-Ansah protests – The Nation Online" . Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  11. ↑ "Gender discrimination blamed for Malawi election allegations | DW | 10.07.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 2019-07-21.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Malawi Women Protest in Defense of Embattled Election Chairperson". Voice of America. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  13. ↑ "HRDC makes fresh demands for Ansahs resignation". Nyasa Times.
  14. ↑ Namasani, Durell. "Diaspora MCP intensifies calls for Jane Ansah to be fired". www.247malawi.com.
  15. ↑ "Ansah resigns as MEC chairperson: Pens Malawi leader". Nyasa Times. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  16. ↑ "Mutharika appoints Kachale as MEC chair | Malawi 24 - Malawi news". Malawi24. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.