REVEALED: Malawi sent electoral official to Kenya, Zimbabwe

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika who is reportedly to have insinuated at the Kenyan polarized political climate saying he will do ‘a Kibaki' on the country's opposition during the 2009 general elections, indeed sent an official to understudy electioneering processes at the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Government sources said Head of Electoral Services at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Mr Harris Potani spent close to two months in Kenya seconded to the Kenyan electoral body and tow weeks in Zimbabwe.

Potani whose telephone number in Kenya was +254-734-460-214 confirmed in an interview with Nyasa Times that indeed he had spent time in Kenya attached to ECK who 'robbed' Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) presidential hopeful Raila Odinga victory.

"Yes. It was an official trip and such matters are can only be communicated through our press officer. I am not allowed to talk to the press," said Potani.

Potani is young brother to Judge Healey Potani who ruled in favour of President Mutharika in the case of MEC Commissioners in which Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President John Tembo and United Democratic Front (UDF) National Chairman Dr Bakili Muluzi are challenging the appointment of the commissioners.

The electoral official is reportedly to have left Malawi in November and came back a few days later after ECK declared President Mwai Kibaki a winner in the disputed polls which have plunged the east African country into political turmoil.

He is said to have been in Zimbabwe from the 9th January until 21st January, 2008 at ZEC,tasked with holding free and fair general elections slated for March 29.

MEC spokesperson Fegus Lipenga also in a telephone interview confirmed the trip saying Potani's visit to Kenya was courtesy of a memorandum of understanding between the MEC and Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA).

"Mr Potani spent time at ECK understudying the electoral process under the sponsorship of EISA. The Malawi Government and MEC did not spend any money on his trip.

"We signed a memorandum of understanding covering the activities. Firstly, Mr Potani's trip which was like a scholarship and secondly, training for Malawi," said Lipenga, who added this was aimed at building capacity of MEC.

Nyasa Times sources revealed that the original plan was to include Commissioners but since there was none, Potani was charged with learning the tactical processes.

Speaking Monday at swearing-in of new cabinet ministers, Mutharika touched on Kenyan situation and said it cannot be compared to the Malawi saying what was happening in Kenya are not purely political but tribal conflicts which according to him [Bingu] do not exist in the country.

Mutharika challenged those anticipating a similar situation in Malawi to bring forward evidence to that effect.