Mutharika urges Tembo to drop elections challenge
Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has appealed to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president John Tembo to concede that he lost the May 19 elections and drop his challenge in court.
Mutharika was speaking on Sunday in Mtakataka, Dedza district when he held a public meeting after attending the consecration of Anglican Bishop for Upper Shire, Brightson Malasa.
“It is a waste of time for Tembo to be going to court. It is only reasonable for Hon Tembo to help government develop the nation,” said President Mutharika.
Mutharika said grounds for Tembo’s elections challenge were frivolous and baseless.
He pointed out that he won the elections with a wide margin.
But Tembo has snubbed the call to drop the case saying he will continue pursuing the matter in the court.
Tembo told Zodiak Radio on Sunday that he wants “justice to prevail”.
The veteran opposition leader said he was still collecting evidence to tender in court to prove rigging claims.
Tembo said he still had outstanding problems with the electoral process and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
“What I am taking to court are the issues which are causing concern to me and to my followers. We want to get clarity to ensure that elections were free and fair, democratically and so on. I haven’t conceded defeat,” said 77-year-old Tembo.
Tembo, in a sworn affidavit alleges lodged in the High Court said the polls had irregularities ranging from voters’ roll, acquisition of extra ballot papers, abuse and monopoly of public radio MBC and TVM, misuse of public resources, failure by monitors and other stakeholders to do their job well.
“In view of the irregularities and breaches of the electoral laws and the Constitution, the second respondent [President Mutharika] was not duly elected, the election was null and void and that a re-run of the presidential election can be conducted by the first respondent (the EC) in a free and fair manner and in compliance with all the electoral and related laws and the Constitution,” reads part of Tembo’s affidavit.
He claims that verification of results was not allowed and that results in most districts were delivered in open and unsealed envelops contrary to the laws of the country.
President Mutharika and his running mate Joyce Banda the first-ever female Vice-President of Malawi, got 65 per cent of total votes far ahead of Tembo’s 31.8 per cent.
The governing DPP also attained a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Tagged with: Bingu, DPP, elections, High Court, John Tembo, MCP
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