MEC submits Lilongwe south east rerun budget

Pollster, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says it has submitted a budget to Treasury for the funding of the Lilongwe south east parliamentary re-run just a month after a Supreme Court order.

Richard Mveriwa, spokesperson for MEC however could not say how much would be needed to hold the re-run, the first of its kind in Malawi.

He said commissioners will be meeting next week to plan on how best to hold the rerun.

“We have several legal opinions from the attorney general which will be discussed.

“For instance, they will discuss as to who is eligible to compete in the election; is it Honourable Namasasu and Honourable Msungama alone? Or all the candidates that competed in the 2014 parliamentary elections,” said Mveriwa.

The Supreme Court ordered the rerun after it proved there was massive rigging in the 2014 election that propelled the ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate Bentry Namasasu into the 193 strong House.

Losing opposition Malawi Congress Party candidate Ulemu Msungama.

Challenged the result but when the High Court ordered the recount of the vote, state spies National Intelligence Bureau burned to ashes the ballot papers which were kept at MEC warehouse in Lilongwe.