Chakwera gives kudos to Judiciary: Malawi Supreme Court ruling to herald ‘true political renaissance’

Presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who is torchbearer of the opposition Tonse Alliance on MCP ticket, has applauded the Judiciary after Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday upheld the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ruling to nullify last year’s presidential vote.

Jounalists interviews MCP President Lazarus Chakwera after the Supreme Court Judgement-pic by Lisa Kadango

Chakwera, who was second respondent in the case, said the judgement affirmed people’s trust in the country’s judicial system and demonstrated impartiality on the part of the judges who faced intimidation and even attempts to bribe them.

“I am so happy. I could dance if I had dancing legs and I think our Supreme Court justices have just continued to uphold the bar that was raised by the Constitutional Court,” said Chakwera to reporters.

“We believe that Malawi will send an example not in just the African continent and across the world that if you seek justice you can find it,” Chakwera said.

He continued: “I am so happy; it is a vindication of what justice looks like. We are ready to follow through with what needs to happen but this country deserves better and I think a Supreme Court justice has just proven that.”

President Peter Mutharika and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) appealed against Constitutional Court which nullified the May 21 2019 elections.

The Supreme Court described the grounds of appeal as “embarrassing and distressful” and that “the judges struggled to make sense of it”.

South Africa-based Malawian lawyer Professor Danwood Chirwa, a professor of law at University of Cape Town, hailed the ruling, saying it will herald “a true political renaissance” in the country.

The court also gave clear interpretation electoral laws that presidential candidates should only be declared winners after attaining over 50 percent+1 of the votes.

“The confirmation of the interpretation of majority is the most important part of the judgement. It settles the law and will serve as a tipping point in Malawi’s democracy,” said Chirwa.

“The court reviewed all its previous decisions and carefully considered the consequences of those decisions. It decided against upholding its 1999 decision and adopted the Constitutional Court’s interpretation of the word. It’s a hugely consequential decision which will reverberate through the entire political space,” he said.

The court ordered that the fresh election should be held as ruled by the High Court and that only those who voted in the May 2019 election should be the ones to vote.

On presidential contestants, the court ordered that only those who contested in the May 2019 poll should contest in the fresh election. Meanwhile, the fresh election is scheduled for July 2.

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Kampepuza
Kampepuza
3 years ago

Please Dr Chakwera carry on from where Bingu left.The man was a visionary leader .I remember he wanted to convert zomba state house into a hospital.

Reverend
3 years ago

Ochakwera chonde bwelerani ku mpingo mukagwire ntchito ya Ambuye. Ndale sizanu asiileni eni ake a Cilima. Mulungu sakukondwera nanu. Sikukunyozani koma chilungamo. You can’t run away from the pulpit and starting doing politics. Get my word,God is not happy with you. There is no man of God who had done well in politics

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
3 years ago

Also Mr incoming president, please look into the health sector. We need new hospitals in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba, Mangochi, Mzimba, (at least more than one in both Lilongwe and Blantyre) and etc etc. Education sector needs alot of work done too. Standards need to improve. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate Mr incoming president. Konzani dziko ili.

DPP NO LONGER A POPULAR PARTY
DPP NO LONGER A POPULAR PARTY
3 years ago

CADET AKUCHITA KUSOWA CHONENA KUMANGO BWEBWETA NDI KULALATA PA NYASATIMES KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK NDI 2020 INO OSATI 2004, 2014, 1994 KAPENA 1964. DZUKA MALAWI DZUKA

We shall know
3 years ago

Truth hates. Any Tumbuka who will vote for Mcp is mentally sick ,he or she doesn’t know what happened to Tumbuka people when innocently were chased from the south going to the north because they were Tumbuka. That was total tribalism and regionalism at its best. I saw with my own eyes seeing my best friends in school and in our community leaving us . All we cried and we never saw each other again. Watch out you will see it again if not more than what your relatives saw in those days. Mcp are thugs . You can say… Read more »

DPP NO LONGER A POPULAR PARTY
DPP NO LONGER A POPULAR PARTY
3 years ago
Reply to  We shall know

Inunso ndiye kaya, Tumbukas are wise my and am one of them, we are going to vote massively for MCPUTM Alliance. No wise person can vote for an old man who is 80years old kkkkkkkkkkkk ndiye wamisala yekha

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
3 years ago

Rev Chakwera and the incoming government, please konzani Malawi. Please continue reforming the public sector especially, get rid of the dead wood and instill the spirit of hard work. Look at the working conditions of all workers and if possible please introduce minimum wage. Then among your full diary of jobs, please look at the state of roads I.e from KIA to the capital. One can not believe he’s driving in the capital.

Zio ine
Zio ine
3 years ago

By outlawing their own 1999 determination they have shown that most of the rulings in the supreme court are faulty and ruling are done based on judges opinion not the law. That time the judges hated Gwanda hence the ruling against him and now they hate Peter hence restoring the 50+1 . Malawi has one of the useless judges in the world.

ignatius
3 years ago

So Zeze is gone, rest in peace and Yona in, mark my words the H5 and Tumbuka judges have goofed we will embarrass u on 2nd July, mark my words

Forgive them
Forgive them
3 years ago

Munthu ukazolowera kuba ngakhale anzako akapeza chinthu bwinobwino umaina ngati aba,
Vuto lakula ku dpp ndilakuti kumalawi kulibe Chilungamo popanda corruption,
Mudziwe kuyambira lero kuti a Chilungamo sanathe kumalawi akanalipo,
Mumve kuti anthu ena akhoza kulolera kufa osauka koma Chilungamo chiyende ngati madzi,munalephera kuwapanga bribe nde basi mwati ndi oyipa?
Oyipa ndinu osakonda dziko lanu,
Change has come,95% siwerenga zimwe ma cadet mumalemba apapa nde sizingasinthe kanthu

Nsena
3 years ago

After buying judges through Ralph Kasambara

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