Chilima welcomes Malawi Supreme Court order on voters roll: ‘Relief’

Vice-President Saulos Chilima, who is running mate to opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera, has welcomed the order by the   Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday on the use of the old voter’s roll, saying the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was busy registering under aged voters to rig the fresh elections.

The court ordered the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to use the voters’ rolls which was used in last year’s election and that there should not be any registration of new voters since the new ones were not wronged.

“Democracy has won, the people of Malawi have won,” said Chilima.

Chilima said the court order is a “big relief” as it will ensure that the fresh poll is credible.

He said MEC’s new voters’ roll is compromised.

The Supreme Court also it wanted the election to be held earlier but “reluctantly” agreed with the Constitutional Court’s initial time frame, so the date of the new vote remains July 2 2020.

“We respect the ruling of the Supreme Court,” said MEC EC spokesman Sangwani Mwafulirwa.

The Supreme Court also ruled that only candidates who contested the flawed elections in 2019 should be allowed to stand again in July.

Both Senior Counsel Modecai Msisha and Chikosa Silungwe, lead lawyers for Chakwera and Chilima, respectively, interpreted the court’s ruling as permitting their clients to continue their partnership.

“A pair has never been the candidate but the individual in an election is a candidate,” said Silungwe.

He said the ruling on the candidates will not affect Chilima and Chakwera’s current partnership.

President Peter Mutharika candidature will also not be affected as he has picked Atupele Muluzi, the son of former President Bakili Muluzi, as his running mate.

Muluzi, who is leader of United Democratic Front (UDF), stood against Mutharika in last year’s elections although he was also a member of his cabinet.