A court in Malawi ruled that the president Mutharika was not duly elected. This was after a six-month hearing process. The judges cited massive electoral irregularities. Some irregularity found was the use of correction fluid was in the results sheets. The court asked for fresh elections, which should happen in one fifty days.
Mutharika to Appeal
Mutharika spokesman, however, refuted the ruling describing it is a serious miscarriage of justice and an attack on the foundations of the country’s democracy,
” Mr. Kalilani continued to say the decision came after a statehouse visit where the legal team of the president met. ,”They analyzed the ruling together,” the spokesman said.
However, the ruling president, seventy-nine years old, did not disclose when t. According to the constitution, the president has six weeks only to appeal.
Opposition Party Reaction
The leader of the opposition, Mr. Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday hailed the ruling terming it as a victory for Africa and democracy. Mr. Chakwera came second with a small margin in the previous election.
While addressing his supporter, who gathered in his party headquarters at Lilongwe, he terms the day as a great day. He concluded by saying,
President Mutharika became the winner after the May 21st with 38.5%. Chakwera lost with 159000 votes. Chakwera later on to the court to appeal the results. In their reading, the court judges agreed that
“the irregularity and anomalies have been so widespread, systematic and grave… that the integrity of the results has become an exbeen seriously compromised.”
The Historic Ruling
He further said that only twenty-three percent of the sheets that lasted through verification was okay. It was not the will of the people.
The nullification of the election in Malawi is the first since independence. It is also the second one in Africa after the Supreme Court of Kenya in 2017 nullified the elections expect the appeal this was after the vote-rigging allegations by an opposition appealed to the results. The ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party, requested the citizens to maintain order and peace.
Reaction of Malawians
In zona, which used to be the colonial capital, the supporters of Chakwera sang and danced, calling for Mutharika’s resignation. The Southern African Development Community also commended the court for doing what was right. They upheld the Malawian constitution, and they pledged to support the coming election process.
“It is a good time to be alive in Malawi. We have shown that democracy does and can work in Africa. And this victory is not for us, and it is for generations to come.” A Malawian said. Another resident from Lilongwe noted that he was happy with the judgment.” It is a real sign that Malawi has true democracy.” He finished.
A Mutharika supporter said that the judgment did not come out as he expected. Although they trust courts, they have to follow what it meant. He concluded by stating that, “that’s the beauty with democracy.”
A top US diplomat called upon the citizens to respect the court’s decision and adhere to the duly process as outlined in their constitution and electoral laws.
However, Mutharika will remain as the president of Malawi until the country gets a new president
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