MEC meets over Malawi Supreme Court ruling

Commissioners at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) are expected to meet this week to decide their fate following the Supreme Court  of Appeal ruling last week which upheld the Constitutional Court ruling for a fresh election.

Jean Mathanga, the chairperson of the Electoral Services of the Malawi electoral body  said a decision would be made after the meeting.

“We are yet to get notices of the meeting but I think it will be this week,” said Mathanga.

She said the Supreme Court ruling was just delivered on Friday therefore the commissioners had no time to meet and chart the way forward on the matter.

The Supreme Court ruling upholds the Constitutional Court ruling that president Peter Mutharika the commissioners because they are incompetent which resulted in the May 21, 2019 election having anomalies and irregularities.

MEC chairperson Jane Ansah refused to comment on the matter.

However, a renowned political and social commentator Humphrey Mvula said President Peter Mutharika and MEC would face another legal challenge in the court should the president be reelected if the same MEC commissioners conduct the July 2 presidential poll.

Mvula said that the opposition would mount the legal challenge because it would not accept the election results as the same MEC commissioners described as incompetent by the courts had been used to conduct the poll.

“Even if President Mutharika wins the election, the poll would be annulled again by the courts. This will be a great setback,” he said.

The Supreme Court also upheld an order for MEC to organize another election within 150 days and that the 50%+1 system should be upheld.