Malawians are hoping for judges independence as opposition, President Mutharika tussle over elections results
The May 21 tripartite Malawi elections have been the most disputed and most emotional experience since the advent of multiparty politics in 1993 as opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of Lazarus Chakwera and another opposition UTM party of Saulos Chilima are challenging the re-election of the incumbent Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Constitutional Court.
They contend that the elections were rigged and beset with a number of gross irregularities and electoral malpractice, citing duplicate tally sheets, counterfeit tally sheets, altered tally sheets and using tippex to doctor the results all in favour of Peter Mutharika.
They have requested the court to nullify the election results and demanded the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC ) chairperson Jane Ansah.
The case was initially heard on 14 June in the constitutional court.
Civil society organisations, among them, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition have added their weight behind opposition parties in calling for the immediate resignation of MEC chairperson because of the way she handled the elections.
They have planned demonstrations, backed by the Public Affairs Committee, on 20 June in all the regions of the country for her to resign.
Chilima also wrote a damning letter to MEC chairperson to resign. Among other issues, he accuses her of influencing members of staff to help her to ensure that Mutharika is re-elected because she did not want Chakwera to win because his running mate, Sidik Mia, is a Moslem.
There has been smearing political tension since the results were announced on 27 May. MCP supporters, occasionally joined by supporters from other political parties, have been demonstrating in different parts of the country chanting anti-Mutharika songs, urging him to step down and call for fresh elections.
In the aftermath of election results, sporadic violence has occurred in the central region, the bastion of MCP’s support. The police have on several occasion fired teargas at MCP supporters, sometimes acting with heavy handedness.
Aside the demonstrations, the election case has caught the attention of many Malawians for several reasons.
Previous disputed election results such as MCP-UDF in 1999 and MCP-UDF in 2004 were not concluded in court. They died a natural death. Based on past experience, many have been incredulous that this one too might die a natural death.
The Attorney General, DPP and MEC lawyers were rendering credence to this fact by asking the court to dismiss the case on grounds that the application was filed late. However, the court has reserved its ruling on 19 June when the case goes back to court.
This election case has divided Malawians with both pro-government and opposition supporters exchanging bitter words against each other. It has got Malawians discussing the results on social media platforms and public places with passion and defending their side of the fence.
But this is not all, the case has attracted the highest number of lawyers. The five lawyers representing Salous Chilima, ten for MCP, and more than six for Mutharika will present their case before a panel of five judges in the constitutional court.
Malawians are hoping for judicial independence and eager for the verdict to be delivered within the statutory 24 days.
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Sanity must come back to Malawi. We cannot afford stolen elections anymore. Muluzi is to blame for destroying this country with love of money. You brought the Muthalika family into dpp and even your udf is almost dead. The only hope lies with the courts. Any document that is altered from a cheque to tally sheets is null and void. If we don’t get justice let the country break apart. We cannot have criminals run the country. As for you APM know that you days are numbered. Thieves don’t live long. You’re already too old to destroy this country.
DPP CADETS STOP THE NONSENSE PLS CAUSING and threatening malawians to please pitala. I hope you are not paid for this.otherwise, its your families that will suffer if something serious happen to you. Mind you, pitala will just say sorry to the affected.
So I beg either of anyone who is paid to cause havov to the genuine mwians. NKUJATU TATI
Tikuti ndi wedsday tu. Muone zitacite a mw. Justice iveke bwinobwino apa
Chakwera ndi chilima ngongole zawachulukira. Ankayesa masewera. Even if a rerun is done Dpp will carry the day because pple have now seek how MCP is a party of death and darkness and can’t vote for chakwera.Secondly MCP and Utm will only share votes from central and north only and the 3 m pple in the south will vote only for Dpp. Again DPp will eat some votes from central and northern region giving it better advantage still . Ndiye muzaliranso??
Many of you who are now fighting for positions,were not there when our first leaders offered their lives to throw out the British imperialism from our country one of them is late Rose Chiwambo who delivered her first child in Blantyre prison on third March, 1959. Malawians,the leaders you have to-day,are KOMA TIYEYE.Right now we have very few leaders like brother G.Kaiwonanga Gondew and his brother Vincent Gondwe both of them with brilliant education under colonial rule unfortunately,Vincent died few years later.The true fact is that,UTM Leader Chilima won clean votes with his fellow fighters and therefore,deserve the rights to rule Malawi.As for the QUOTA SYSTEM,it is unbelievable that some Malawians do not know who introduced the unholly system in our country,that would victimise the Northerners.This was an open hatrade against the people of the North who are hated in Malawi.Malawians in diaspora,strongly support the UTM as the sole winner full-stop.
Ma judge musachite nuisence mukhaulapo shuwa
Khothi likagamula kuti DPP inapamba pasachitikenso masankho obwereza ndiye kuti khothi siloyima palokha. Koma likalamula kuti masankho achitikenso ndiye kuti ndiloima palokha. Kwa anthu ena chilungamo ndikuti zinthu zichitike mmene iwowo akufunira. Zikachitka mosemphana ndi chifuniro chawo ndiye kuti chilungamo palibe. Kameneko ndiye kaganizidwe ka ma dictator. Nthawi zonse chilungamo sichikomera oluza.
True. We need more tippex in this country called Malawi. Without tippex we cannot have a president. I love your thinking.
How would you react if your son/daughter assuming you have one brought home end of year school report with some grades changed with tippex? And how would you think of a head teacher who would sign for those results and allow them to be sent to the parents?
Let there be the judgement in favour of majority to save our country as Jesus was judged but all that is done I’d Gods plan
So the Judiciary will be deemed to be Indepedent only if they rule in favour of the opposition. This sucks. There is only one answer that you want to hear. Re run.Then there is no Independence of the Judiciary.
We don’t need tippex but win straight forward without hiding something under neath with your tippex.
Chakwera and chilima pathako panu nose cos always losers is misbehaving like you guys stop this ife tikufuna chitukuko osati milandu pitan Ku Dpp akakupatsani ma baz
Mwazolowera! Zikukhala ngati olo mutukwane tili nanu nanu ngati Malawi tikufinyani pakhosi basi….mabanziwo mutsanzatu ulendo uno!
I think, u don’t think using brain my friend but the same body part u just mentioned .
Cadet kupya tima ngati nkhandwe.
mind ur language
Most most uncivilised comment. I would have loved to see your parents and family environment and if ever you were raised by sane people. I would not be surprised to know that your one rescued by people when your mom dumped you in a pit latrine. Quite a dunderhead
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT MACK CORNER WE ARE FASTING AND PRAYING FOR THAT
This time around we are ready to pay heave price to see justice. I’ll travell home if court favors the corrupt peter. We will form an armed group till we proplaim our freedom.
No matter how high something can fly in the sky one day it will land either smoothly or clash
This is the only time to restall our democracy.If you want the Judicially to be trusted again as most people don’t trust our judicial system
You should say that you are hoping for judicial independence,and not Malawians. Those are your hopes and do not in any way represent Malawians as a bloc.
Let the prince of thieves and Babylon fall… I mean ADAD
What about 30 million we heard from mps that MCP has given to our beloved judges in order to favor them?
Mmmmmmm, chita manyazi, wabodza iwe…..asauka, ayipeza kuti? Osati enawa kutero?
muppet
As long as there ìs no tipex in the troll of jugdes with the the dpp
Waiting patiently
Social media is saying there will be no appeal on the constitution court decision and if that’s the case why didn’t the chief justice include himself to head the judges panel? There can’t be any other case anywhere more than annulment of presidential elections and if no appeal will be allowed the chief justice must join the case.
THAT Panel OF JUDGES represents the chief Justice ,
Wasting time, accept defeat
This generation is unlike Bakili period. This is WhatsApp periods ,it could lead the end of nonsense judiciary in Malawi.As history of Kenyatta still recalls.