Mutharika appeals against court ruling

MALAWI’S President Peter Mutharika and the country’s electoral commission have formally filed an appeal against a court ruling that overturned his win last year.

“I can confirm that the court has received both appeals by first respondent [the president] and second respondent [electoral commission],” High Court registrar Agnes Patemba told the Reuters news agency on Friday.

A sworn statement by Malawi Electoral Commission ( MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah, who supports the appeal, said the Constitutional Court overstepped its powers by ordering Parliament to convene within 21 days to amend the Electoral Act.

Ansah’s statement also asserts that the budget for a fresh election would cost Malawi a lot of money unless enforcement of the court’s judgement is suspended.

The Constitutional Court on Monday annulled last year’s disputed presidential election results, citing “widespread” irregularities and ordering a new vote.

The election last May returned the sitting president to power, leading to deadly confrontations and widespread unrest.

The MEC had declared Mutharika the narrow winner of the May election with 38 percent of votes, followed by Lazarus Chakwera with 35 percent and former vice president Saulos Chilima third with 20 percent.

Mutharika had denounced the ruling as “a serious subversion of justice, an attack on our democratic systems and an attempt to undermine the will of the people”.

Malawi’s former Members of Parliament who lost their seats in controversial May 21 elections are demanding fresh polls following the nullification of presidential vote results, local media reported.

Meanwhile, Malawi’s Nyasa Times reports that over 120 former Members of Parliament ( MP) who lost during the May 21 2019 parliamentary elections are raising money to hire lawyers who would seek a fresh parliamentary poll.

This follows a ruling by the Constitutional Court on the landmark election case which the court ordered the nullification of the election and ordered for a fresh election in five months’ time.

One of the former MPs said currently the former legislators have been making contributions to support their case.

The Constitutional Court nullified the presidential election, saying the irregularities and anomalies have been so widespread, systematic and grave that the integrity of the results had been seriously compromised. — Online.