Mutharika says ready to campaign and ‘win again’: Prides himself ‘peaceful president’
President Peter Mutharika has said he is challenging a Constitution Court’s decision to overturn his 2019 election victory, not to stop the next elections but to “correct fundamental errors in the judgement,” saying he is ready to campaign and “win again.”
The Constitutional Court stunned Malawians on Monday when it annulled the May 2019 presidential vote that declared Mutharika a winner. The court cited “widespread, systematic and grave” irregularities, which included results sheets with sections blotted out or altered with correction fluid, and it ordered a re-run.
On Wednesday evening in a special address to the nation, Mutharika announced he would appeal the court’s decision so as to correct the “flawed precedence for all the elections in all future elections in the country.”
In a unanimous decision, a panel of five judges ordered that a new presidential vote be held within 150 days.
But Mutharika clarified that he is not appealing to stop the fresh election, saying he is confident that he will canvass for votes and win a fresh mandate.
“Let me however state that we are not appealing to stop the next election. In fact, we are ready to campaign and win as we have always done,” said Mutharika.
“We are appealing to correct the fundamental errors in the judgement to protect our laws, principles of justice and democracy. We believe the judgement has errors that need to be corrected. Above all, we seek justice,” he added.
Mutharika applauded opposition leaders Dr Lazarus Chakwera and Dr Saulos Chilima f or taking their electoral grievances to Court as provided for in the country’s laws.
“That is democracy,” he stated.
However, Mutharika condemned violence and appealed to all Malawians to reject violence, keep calm and order at all times.
The President said the Constitutional Court judgement is not the end of litigation process in the May 21 elections case.
“Malawi is a country of laws. As a lawful nation, there remains a number of laws and legal processes and procedures provided in our Constitution to regulate how we conduct ourselves to resolve our situation.
“The most important thing is that we must preserve our constitutional order and ensure that Malawi continues to be stable and peaceful,” he said.
Mutharika said his administration allowed justice to take its course in the election petition case because “we respect the rule of law and especially because I want to continue seeing peace, love and unity prevailing among us. I am a peaceful President.”
He persuaded Malawians not to be “carried away” by the Constitution Court ruling “because it is not the end of everything. We are one people. We have one Malawi. We remain one nation. And Malawi is bigger than us all.”
The Constitutional Court ruling does not invalidate all the decisions made by the Presidency before the ruling.
President Mutharika will bear his own court costs but the UTM president Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera will have court costs paid for by the Malawi Electoral Commission.
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IWE NYAMOYO ULI NA THENDA YA VIZILILISI? PANJI KUVINA UKO MUKAMUVINILANGA YULA ZELEZA WINU BANDA NDIKO KWAMUPANGANI MUWE VINDELE NTHEULA?NYAMOYO ULI KWENELA KUTI ULI MZELEZA WA UMALILO PA KUGULISKA WA TUMBUKA WANYAKO.MCP KILLED ORTON CHIRWA,KANYAMA CHIUME,CHAKUFWA CHIHANA,YATUTA CHISIZA,DUNDZU CHISIZA,PEMBA NDOVI,MATUPI MKANDAWILE NA WANYKHE BANANDI.MWANA WA KUKWITHU ULIJE NA CHITIMA CHA WA BALI WAKO? WA MUNTHU MWANAKAZI UKAWA NA MTIMA NGANTI WA BANDA NA MUTHALIKA? SONI ZITALI CHOMENI MWANAKAZI KUWA NA MTIMA WA NTHEULA.ALUTA CONTINUA VENCEREMOS !!!!!!!!!!!
I know you are going to win,, no matter what Saulosi can.not win,, MCP they are just gang of thieves and murderers. Am a tumbuka but can not support the tumbukas. They are doing this deliberately which is wrong. Doing out of desperation
MUTHALIKA,THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI ARE NO LONGER FOOLS LIKE YOU AND YOUR RAT CHASING PEOPLE.BEAR IN MIND THAT,MALAWI BELONGS TO ALL MALAWIANS AND NOT TO LOMWES ALONE.HOW FAR STUPID AND IDIOTIC YOU HAVE GONE.DO NOT UNDER THINK THAT MALAWIANS ARE SLEEPING FOOLS,BANDA RULED THEM LIKE HIS SLAVES,THAT ERA HAS GONE FOREVER.SO DO NOT MAKE A FOOL OF YOUR SELF THINKING IF YOU STAND AGAIN FOR PRESIDENCY,YOU WILL WIN AGAIN,WHAT AN IDIOTIC GUILE? WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO OUR COUNTRY TO DESERVE ANOTHER WIN? MATHANYULA,YOU HAVE NOTHING TO RULE MALAWIANS AGAIN WHAT YOU SHOULD WAIT FOR IS YOUR DEMISE.YOU HAVE ENOUGH… Read more »
50+ 1 anakonza! Mulhako okha ungakwanise 50+1? Koma yeah Lhomwes are getting out of government very soon and Malawi will be for all of us once again!
DPP the only free party. Look at other parties they have already chosen running mates. Then how do they combine with other parties?
Appealing costs is our own taxpayers money, Court REJECT HIS DIRTY MONEY.
If he was receiving money in America why is he not going for good? A Malawife KUGONA.
These are legal matters MUSIYENI. He is undermining the 5 Judges. After all what is law professor? What about Kamchenzera are they not professors. A mbetawo mudyereni pitalayo akhaule
Masa Masina, musiyeni ameneyu as akutengera advantage poti Malawians are peace-loving but soon our patience will wear out and explode. That is when he will see the true colours of Malawians and be Mugabed, Soon!
@ chili pathako iwedi ndi chilipathako sungakambe zanzeru anyani agalu ndani ndiye paja olira amakamba Zambiri sitikudabwa kwa ife nkuyamika Mulungu wamvano pemphero lili mu national anthem yatha wagonjesa adani athu chofunika aluzise mtima yatha kuti tikhale ndi okoma Malawi