Court concludes hearing MCP candidates’ parliamentary poll case for Nsanje, Chikwawa

High Court in Blantyre has completed hearing a case in which three Malawi Congress Party (MCP) contestants for Nsanje Central, North and Chikwawa East constituencies are disputing the 2019 parliamentary elections results and directed petitioners and defence to file final submissions by September 28 before its determination.

Kafandikhale Mandevana of Nsanje Central, Enoch Chizuzu (Nsanje North) and Foster Thipiwa (Chikwawa East) are challenging results of the parliamentary elections.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)  declared Francis Kasaila of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Nsanje Central, Esther Mcheka-Chilenje of Nsanje North (DPP) and Sam Khumbayiwa of United Democratic Front (UDF) in Chikwawa East winners.

Judge Sylvester Kalembera  on Tuesday continued hearing the case when the petitioners’ lawyer Wester Kosamu cross-examined MEC’s ICT officer Ephraim Nyirongo.

He gave the parties 40 days to file final submissions before delivering his judgement.

In July last year, MEC through its lawyer  Dalitso Mataka, asked the court to dismiss the case, saying the three petitioners did not have sufficient evidence and that they sued a wrong party as all the polling materials are with the Clerk of Parliament.

Judge Kalembera dismissed the application and allowed the case to proceed.

The judge also  ordered that the electoral commission to  produce all the documents it used in the polls for  the three constituencies including  original tally sheets, counterfoils, log books and register of voters ticked.

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