Chakwera, SKC tell President Mutharika to comply with court ruling on Malawi fresh elections

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera  State vice-president Saulos Klaus Chilima (SKC), who is also UTM Party leader, have jointly called on President Peter Mutharika to abide by court ruling which paves the way for fresh elections after the constitutional court nullified the May polls.

Chakwera (l) and Chilima after Supreme Court of Appeal rejected application for a stay order

The two political leaders, who have announced they will be forming an electoral alliance, said this after the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed application to stay a judgement that annulled the presidential election.

Chakwera and Chilima, who challenged the results in court, alleging massive irregularities, said since the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that the process in preparing the fresh elections should continue, Mutharika should proceed to  sign election reforms bills passed by parliament.

The electoral bills propose a date for fresh elections and procedures to follow in case of runoffs.

Malawi’s constitution gives the president 21 days to sign the bills into law ans since the bills were passed, there are two days to go.

Parliament set May 19 as the date for fresh presidential elections  after a constitutional court nullified last May’s ballot results, which Mutharika narrowly won.

“He needs to comply wirh what the court has said.  He is a Malawian citizen just like the rest of us. Nobody  is above the law,” said Chakwera while flanked by Chilima, both squelling with excitement.

Adding his comment, Chilima told reporters at the court: “By extension it’s not a multiple choice, comply, period!”

The  substantive appeal case is going to be  heard in the Supreme Court next month.

Lawyer Khumbo Soko, spokesperson for Chilima’s legal team, said a panel of seven Supreme Court judges “unanimously” threw out the application for a stay order.

“Now Malawi Electoral Commission must actually take active and concrete steps to comply with the ruling of the court [in organising the fresh elections],” said Soko.

Lawyer for MEC, Tamanda Chokhokho said  the commission will “take the necessary steps”.

However, while giving a legal undertaking on behalf of MEC, Chokhotho said: “They will have to be some short cuts, lets hope all will end well.”

In the  appeal, Mutharika argues that  five-judge panel of the Constitutional Court erred in law in abandoning settled principles of law governing the annulment of a disputed election or effect of an irregularity on the overall result of an election as pronounced by the Supreme Court in a number of cases he cited.

The President argues the judges erred in law and in fact in holding that in the 2019 presidential election, there was an undue return and an undue election of the first appellant without any evidence of alternative results showing that the returned results of the election of the first appellant to the office of President of the Republic were false.

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Ken Phiri
Ken Phiri
4 years ago

Is it the same Dr Jane Ansah-led incompetent MEC that will manage the fresh elections???

Mwini muzi.
Mwini muzi.
4 years ago

It appears he has issues with the bills. They will be sent back to parliament unsigned.

Geof
Geof
4 years ago
Reply to  Mwini muzi.

Going by what she said yes Ur right

Loreen
Loreen
4 years ago
Reply to  Geof

She wants to be everywhere..she is also thinking like an MP n uttered words like the State President..this lady is confused n would want us to follow her thinking but never n someone said history will be made this week

Munyasiwa
Munyasiwa
4 years ago

Ntchona is outdated and proved to be a great risk for Malawi development. Counting down to 19th May. He has nothing to offer. He should go! go and i mean go!

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
4 years ago

Yagona game NTCHONA. Reminds me of another ntchona we had to fight against. Why should we always have to rise against mitchona? What’s wrong with them?

🇲🇼🔥🇲🇼
🇲🇼🔥🇲🇼
4 years ago

Mcp/Utm ino ndinthawi yoona ndi kupanga za mec nfiti izi zilipanopazi mu mec zonse zichoke musachedwe ndithu tikufuna dziko lathu likonzedwe osati zakuba zophana zoopsyezana zamake dzana zimenezo 🇲🇼🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇲🇼

chataika
chataika
4 years ago

Yes APM is complying thats why has started campaigning and is ready to knock you all out of the ring within seconds. Phuma lake ili lofuna udindo kaya mwana akalirira nyanga ya nsatsi ndithudi msemere so poti mukulirira fresh elections a court anapereka never worry tikakumana konko and will severely knock you out so that the nonsense of crying atibera atiberawu uthe mukhale pansi tatopa nanu kwambiri!!!! Every chisankho atibera chibwere china atibera shit!

SAUNDERS
SAUNDERS
4 years ago
Reply to  chataika

Azako onse pano athawatu,watsala wekha ndi one pano,tour zinazi tizichita nazo manyazi, tikakamila nkhalamba imeneyi mpaka liti? Idiot!

Geof
Geof
4 years ago
Reply to  chataika

Let him sign the bills n we flat out campaign…it’s that simple.vthr best will win

Nicolous
Nicolous
4 years ago
Reply to  chataika

Do you mean atigwira

If you think about it
If you think about it
4 years ago

Koma osanama iyiyi ndi good pair amwene ena aja ndi ma peyala shuwa

amadeus
4 years ago

The arguments advance in the appeal are very stupid. The judgement is simply based on the fact that there were a plethora of irregularities such that it was wrong to declare anybody a winner. You cannot determine a winner based on a flawed process. That is the gist of the matter, and I cannot understand why learned lawyers of MEC and DPP cannot understand this very basic principle! So the question of whether irregularities affected the outcome or there was failure on the part of petitioners to produce alternative results does not arise. It is up to MEC and not… Read more »

MCP steward aka Youth Leaguer
MCP steward aka Youth Leaguer
4 years ago
Reply to  amadeus

But it’s OK to use the same toilet water to wash bananas and eat them? The same flawed process, the same incompetent MEC elected MPs who are making laws.

Fula
Fula
4 years ago

Where is Sidik Mia in the picture?????????????????????????????????????

Lilenji
Lilenji
4 years ago
Reply to  Fula

How many problems do you have? We have a lot and yours are unfortunately not any of the above.

olivier
olivier
4 years ago
Reply to  Lilenji

kkkk he wants all people to fit in a small picture. thinking like ngumbi chithupi chikule koma mutu waungóno

Geof
Geof
4 years ago
Reply to  Fula

Hope you listened to him recently on Zodiak…he is still a strong member of the party. What do you want to hear? Where is Chinthutu Banda in DPP

Icefloe1
Icefloe1
4 years ago

They have won @ the court but can they win on the #Ballot ?.

Madda_CaGo
Madda_CaGo
4 years ago
Reply to  Icefloe1

cant u see thts the sign?Cadet wopanda ntchito iweeee!Sukuona kuti Ambwiyakowo akuopa kuyaluka pa zisankho?cant u hv a sense of humor,kuti agufwa kangati za ku court?kodi wakulodzani ndani?

knox
knox
4 years ago
Reply to  Madda_CaGo

Kkkkkkkkkkk musiye chuleyo sadziwa chomwe akunena kkkkkkkkk

Ineyo
Ineyo
4 years ago
Reply to  Icefloe1

Yes, they can and they will!!

olivier
olivier
4 years ago
Reply to  Icefloe1

yes they can win

TIMEUP APM
TIMEUP APM
4 years ago
Reply to  Icefloe1

utm/mcp can lose the ballot if this ua pm planing evil again to cheat the election

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