DPP mobilise supporters to court in election case finale:  Fear of violence grips

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is mobilising supporters particularly the youth cadets to invade the Constitutional Court in Lilongwe starting this Monday when its director of elections Ben Malunga Phiri, a key witness to President Peter Mutharika, who is first respondent in the presidential election case, will continue to be cross-examined.

In a message to the cadets from the party’s Directorate of Operations, the militant youth wing is being urged to mobilize themselves and invade the court starting this Monday.

“As the case is being winded up, the grace that has been witnessed by the whole party has been tremendous. We will all need to keep up the faith, fighting spirit and togetherness as we defend our victory to the end,” reads part of the message to the cadets, adding: “This calls for the physical availability of all that are able to avail themselves at the court premises through and through.”

The opposition fear the DPP is plotting to disrupt hearing of the case this week as a tactic to derail as parties prepare their submissions.  The five-judges panel led b Hearley Potani and other judges  Redson Kapindu, Dingiswayo Madise, Ivy Kamanga and Mike Tembo set December 6 to conclude hearing of arguments by both petitioners and respondents.

If the case is concluded on December 6, it means that before January 20 2020 the judges will have made their ruling.

The petitioners have argued their case ranging from massive irregularities to pure theft of votes in some centres.

The court has already sent a strong warning against anyone threatening witnesses, saying it is a crime punishable by law.

The court had received reports that even lawyers are being booed outside court.

Currently in the witness stand is Phiri who was was cross-examined by first petitioner Saulos Chilima’s lawyer, Chikosa Silungwe before the matter was adjourned.

On Monday Phiri, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development,  will be cross-examined by Modecair Msisha SC, lead attorney for second petitioner Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera.

During cross-examination, Phiri acknowledged that the May 21 elections were marred by challenges that included officers filling in inappropriate boxes of the tally sheets because of failure to understand some terminologies.

Phiri, who was DPP’s director of elections during the May 21 polls, also admitted use of Tippex, duplicate forms and alterations of results on tally sheets by some polling staff.