Malawi Law Society says election case was divisive amongst members

Malawi Law Society (MLS) has conceded the Constitutional Court presidential election case was a great challenge to the lawyers mother body because it sharply divided opinion and views among its members.

MLS president Burton Chindongondo Mhango said this in Mangochi at the end of the association’s annual general meeting.

“This was very challenging to have our members on the opposite sides, giving partisan opinions and views,” he said.

MLS joined the case as friends of the court.

He said the lawyers who were involved in the case for Dr Saulos Chilima and Dr Lazarus Chakwera as petitioners and President Peter Mutharika and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) are all members of the MLS.

Mhango said the challenge for the MLS was now to balance the opposing views and opinions of its members in the case.

Mhango himself received bashing in social media platforms over his alleged partisan pronouncements on the case.

MLS president Mhango is blood brother of Charles Chindongondo Mhango, one of the lawyers for Mutharika, a former Attorney General in the Mutharika administration and currently Democratic Progressive Party legal advisor.

The Constitutional Court annulled the May 21, 2019 presidential election results, saying they were marred with irregularities and anomalies which were widespread, systematic and grave that the results of the poll were seriously compromised.

A fresh presidential election is slated this May.