Malawi Supreme Court ruling on MEC stay order at 4pm
Judges at the Supreme Court of Appeal are set to hand down a ruling Thursday at 4pm a request by President Peter Mutharika and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to suspend the Constitutional Court ruling on the election case.
Supreme Court spokesperson Agnes Patemba has confirmed of the ruling Thursday afternoon after lawyers on Wednesday made their submissions.
If the court rules in favour of Mutharika and MEC, it means that former state vice president Everton Chimulirenji will be back in office after he was fired by the Constitutional Court in February following the annulment of the May 21,2019 presidential election.
Lawyer representing MEC Tamando Chokhotho made a frantic plea to the judges to consider suspending the Constitutional Court ruling until the Supreme Court makes a final determination on the election matter.
Chokhohto said as far as MEC is concerned, a better date for the next elections would be October 28 2020 to enable the commission prepare the activities properly.
But lawyer for petitioners Titus Mvalo said the basis on which MEC is presenting its proposal is not holding, adding they have opposed them as they know that there is capacity to hold elections and that the provision for the moment was made by Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha in Mid-Year Budget Review last month.
Among others, the Constitutional Court ordered the holding of a fresh presidential election within 150 days from the ruling date of February 3, 2020.
President Peter Mutharika has been accusing the Constitutional Court of conniving with the opposition parties to rob him of his victory.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
I see lead times on ordering material mainly ballot papers which has to start only after registration. Lead time required on registration which will be all done afresh. All this period can take not less than three months even money is available as argued by the petitioners lawyers.