Malawi court dismisses MCP’s challenge of election results for Likoma

High Court in Lilongwe has dismissed Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Christopher Ashems Chirwa’s petition requesting the court to declare 2014 Parliamentary results for Likoma Constituency as null and void.

Following the court determination, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) said in a statement  on Friday  issued by chief elections officer Willie Kalonga that George Johnsen Kamwanja of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). remains parliamentarian Likoma Island Constituency.

The MCP candidate got 1,795 votes against 1,802 of the winner, Kamwanja of the DPP)

Unsatisfied with the results, Chirwa petitioned the High Court to declare the results null and void; to issue an order that Kamwanja as not duly elected and that the electoral body should conduct fresh elections.

Chirwa alleged that there were massive electoral irregularities including an allegation that the number of cast votes was more than the number of registered voters at one centre, that the presiding officers refused to do a reconciliation of the ballot papers and that no record of the elections was ever produced by the presiding officer.

He further alleged that the presiding officer forced monitors to sign on blank tally sheets and inserted the figures later on his own and that he forced the monitors to sign on the envelope containing used ballots.

However, after appreciating arguments from both parties, Justice Mwale of the Lilongwe High Court, found no merit in the petitioner’s allegations and dismissed the petition with costs to be paid to the MEC.