According to the press release signed by Commissioner Linda Kunje who is the Chairperson of the Finance and Administration Committee for MEC, the suspension is due to the investigative Audit carried out last year.

“Following an Investigative Audit carried out by the Central Internal Audit Unit of the Ministry of Finance between 27th April and 15th May, 2015 which alleged malpractices at the Malawi Electoral Commission, the Commission has resolved to send on leave with immediate effect the officers,” reads the statement in part.

The officers who have been sent on leave according to the press release include; Willie Kalonga – Chief Elections Officer; Harris Potani – Deputy Chief Elections Officer Operations; George Khaki – Director of Administration & Human Resources ; Khumbo Phiri – Director of Finance; Mr Edington Chilapondwa – Procurement Manager; Chimwemwe Kamala – Procurement Officer and Sydney Ndembe – Assistant Procurement Officer.

“This has been necessitated in order to pave way for the Audit Team set up to review the audit responses presented by the Commission to be able to do its work without any undue influence.

It is envisaged that the Audit Team will complete its work within a short period and the Commission will at that point make known to the public the outcome of the review and the action that it will take,” said part of the statement adding that MEC is committed to ensure that its operations adhere to all legal, public and international standards that is why the Commission engaged the independent Audit Team.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Electoral Commission-MEC has announced the postponement of by-elections which were scheduled for the 4th of October, 2016 in Mchinji West constituency and some two wards in Lilongwe and Dedza.

Making the announcement, Chairperson for the Electoral Services Committee for MEC Commissioner Jean Mathanga said the decision has been arrived at because Treasury has not released funds due to alleged mismanagement of funds at the commission.