Chakwera outlines irregularities ‘not fraud’ in Malawi presidential election case

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera, who is asking the Constitutional Court to nullify presidential results in the May 21 Tripartite Elections, on Thurday morning outlined his case to challenge presidential election results in May that handed a narrow victory to President Peter Mutharika.

Chakwera: We are talking about irregularities

Chakwera through his lawyer, Mordecai Msisha senior counsel, told the court that elections were replete with a lot of irregularities and illegalities.

The MCP president Chakwera is the second petitioner and UTM Party president Saulos Chilima the first petitioner concluded presenting his case.

President Peter Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), in his capacity as the declared winner, is the first respondent with Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as the second petitioner.

Chakwera contends that Mutharika “won a fraudulent election” fraught with irregularities, including alleged stuffing of ballot papers with pre-marked ballots, tampering with election results sheets through correction fluid and being found in possession of  result sheets at home.

After Msisha, Senior Counsel, made opening remarks to outline the basis of the petitions highliting issues of Constitution and legalities,  Chakwera entred the witness box

To be  cross-examined by Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale who bombarded him with questions to discredit the tendered evidence.

Kaphale first asked Chakwera about his educational qualifications which he disclosed his credentials degree obtained from University of Malawi including Masters Degree in Theology and a PhD from a university  in US.

Chakwera, who came second in the presidential race, was asked to confirm that in his petition he is  not alleging electoral fraud.

“We have used other words,” said Chakwera. “We are talking about irregularities.”

Kaphale asked Chakwera if he knows that barcodes on results sheets are not provided for in the  Presidential and Parliamentray Eelctiosn Act  (PPEA) in which Chakwera said  “they were necessary.”

He pressed further, are they [Barcodes] prescribed under the  PPEA or not:?

MCP presidential hopeful said: “No.”

“Would there be any disobedience in the  PPEA if no barcode was not put on the [results] form?” asked Kaphale which Chakwera’s lawyer Msisha objected to the line of questioning, saying it was legal technical matter.

Kaphale moving on asked Chakwera  to admit that what affects the results is voter data.

“Yes if the processes have been correct,” said Chakwera.

Chakwera and Chilimaa are challenging results of the presidential election which MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah declared was won by Mutharika. The results indicated that Chakwera was second and Chilima third.

The case is being heard by a panel of five High Court judges comprising Healey Potani, Mike Tembo, Dingiswayo Madise, Redson Kapindu and Ivy Kamanga.

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Peter
Peter
4 years ago

Zovuta

kachakwera
kachakwera
4 years ago

Hehehe degree ya theology za manyazi pa madegree onsewa munthu wabwinobwino kukapanga theology hehehe umafuna yophweka hehehe.

Mtete
Mtete
4 years ago

You can judge the intelligence of some of us on this forum from the way they resort to fowl language instead of contributing logically. For example, what has fake accent to do with an irregular election? Incidentally, if Chakwera’s accent kept changing, I would agree it was fake. But the man can talk for hours on end in his very audible American accent while others can’t even be heard in accents purported to be English.

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
4 years ago

Three years ago the Constitutional Court in Austria overturned election results based on IRREGULALITES. although the court emphasized that there had been no manipulation of the votes, the confirmed IRREGULALITIES had affected the votes. I hope our lawyers are aware of this case. Read it on theguardian.com Let us wait and see if the court in Malawi will swipe these IRREGULALITIES under the carpet.

The philosopher
The philosopher
4 years ago

Theguardia.com is not enough, tipatseni direct link tione, osatinamizapo apa. Komanso malamulo a Australia ndi athu ndi osiyana. Ife ndi anthu, ma Australian ndi azungu so don’t compare kabichi ndi tomato sauce

suzgo kamowa
suzgo kamowa
4 years ago

akuti Austria osati Australia man these are two different countries.

Jason Bailer
Jason Bailer
4 years ago
Reply to  suzgo kamowa

So what? The contentious matter is not on the country names but the fact that he has chosen to compare a Malawisn scenario to that of Austria/Australia whatever, whose laws are indeed different and quite a lot of differences can be cited based on which side of the fence one is standing-on.

Jason Bailer
Jason Bailer
4 years ago

They might have overturned the election results based on irregularities but possibly the irregularities in Australia might have been different from those being contested in Malawi, suffice to say an irregularity on it’s own can not win a case if it is not being supported by evidence and legality, per se.

Charie
Charie
4 years ago

Garu wa munthu pambuyo pake mkumamema ma supporters ake kut adzipita kukapanga ma demo “, chakwera,mtambo komaso chilima ayi ndithu chilima chomwe chikukusakani

Kanyimbi
Kanyimbi
4 years ago

Ok kutereku a Kaphale kuwalembera figure monga K100,000 pa paper wamba nkuwaudza kuti akatenge ndalama ku bank akhodza kubvomereza popedza iwo amangoyang’ana figure yalembedwayo ngakhale ili pa paper wamba. MEC ili ndi ma form ake nkuona anaika barcode ngati cheque sungangotenga paper wamba nkulemba zamavoti ai amaopetsa mbava ngati a APM awa.

Maxwell Mahata
Maxwell Mahata
4 years ago
Reply to  Kanyimbi

APM was not involved with the counting of votes it was MEC officials and the monitors togather with other stake holders.APM was equal to Chilima and Chakwera

PETER MUKHITO
PETER MUKHITO
4 years ago

M’busa wamatama ngati uyu sindinamuone. kungokhala ku America masiku atatu, koma kusinthiratu accent. Zoti amavala nyau kuiwaliratu. kkkkk

Bwampini
Bwampini
4 years ago
Reply to  PETER MUKHITO

The problem is you with the schools you attended, the teachers who chewalises or lhomwelises English. Those who learnt English as English does not need to struggle with their 👅

Kate
Kate
4 years ago
Reply to  PETER MUKHITO

UMBULI UWU…. CHAKWERA NDIOPHUNZIRATU

Henya
Henya
4 years ago
Reply to  Kate

Wophunzira kuti? A degree from Sunday school?

Sosi
Sosi
4 years ago

There’s some words that you can not use in the county , my sister nabetha

Joseph chagomerana
4 years ago

Just a matter of wasting money and time,everyone knows APM is a preasdent of Malawi and not a thing can change this.

Unknown
Unknown
4 years ago

“Not a thing can change this” this phrasing is ungodly….

Ntambo: Ndilibe nanu mawu

Wagwa nayo fake accent ex-reverend Nyolonyo Yona Lazarus Chakwera… kkkkkkkkkk

Blessings kutchuwi
Blessings kutchuwi
4 years ago

Mwamasukatu pakana Munthu was Mulungu kutero????? Let’s wait and see the final verdict….

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