EU postpones fresh Malawi election observer report presentation

The European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission (EOM) has shelved it’s presentation of its final report on the disputed May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections hours after UTM Party president  Saulos Chilima and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) counterpart Lazarus Chakwera who are challenging the results in court over alleged irregularities. cried foul.

Nyasa Times source within the EU mission in Lilongwe says a public statement would be issued soon to give details of what will now happen when the delegation arrives.

Chilima said in a letter to the EU Malawi office dated January 7 2020, said the report is sub judicial as the presential elections dispute is awaiting judgement.

He said: “We are waiting for judgement [in the Constitutional Court]. The EU should respect the courts and wait for the judgement. We have informed the EU in writing that we will not be attending the meeting.”

Chakwera also announced he would not meet the EU team.

The EU, Commonwealth, Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and other foreign observer missions largely stated in the aftermath of the disputed elections that the country’s sixth post-independence general elections were free, fair and credible.

However, the international observers’ preliminary vote of onfidence has received subsequent strong criticism from the opposition parties and civil society who described it as a rushed and overused cliché.