Network to push for MPs fresh elections, councillors too
Mzuzu-based Civil Society Network on Transparency and Accountability (CSNTA) and a social and governance commentator have vowed to stand with former members of Parliament (MPs) in pushing for the nullification of the May 2019 Local Government and Parliamentary Elections.
Following nullification of the presidential election by the Constitutional Court (Concourt), ex-MPs have argued that they lost the election due to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)’s incompetence.
Determining the matter, the ConCourt on February 3 2020 stated that the second respondent, MEC, demonstrated incompetence for failing to follow laid out legal processes for the conduct of the elections.
The ex-MPs argue that since both presidential and parliamentary polls were managed by MEC which the Concourt declared incompetent, it was fair to also nullify the parliamentary results.
They further argue that the irregularities as confirmed by the five-judge panel of the ConCourt were not exclusive to the presidential race as the process run concurrently.
Recently, 185 former MPs, applied to the High Court in Zomba to commence a case seeking nullification of the polls in agreement with the February 3, 2020, Constitutional Court determination in the Presidential Election case.
However, the court dismissed the application.
But the decision by the court to dismiss the case in its infancy has not pleased CSNTA chairperson Kinear Mlowoka and social and governance commentator Lucy Manda who feel the former MPs have got a point and still need the platform to be heard.
CSNTA chairperson Kinnear Mlowoka said in an interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday that he expected the court of law to be in a position to declare the current National Assembly as null and void in the same breath as the ConCourt did in the presidential poll.
Mlowoka said they are working on other options to bring the matter back to court for hearing.
On the other hand, the social and governance commentator, Lucy Manda, argued that her understanding is that if indeed there were irregularities in the manner and way the elections were conducted for the National Presidency, then this same manner in style was observed at Parliamentary level.
Manda says they the Court of Law to lend credence to what the ConCourt said regarding the manner in which the polls were conducted.
“But looking at the observations that the ConCourt noted, we are of the strong opinion that we shared the same fate and the presiding officers were the same and behaved the same. In this regard, it would be folly for the world to agree that it was only the presidential vote that got marred and now deserve fresh elections,” she says.
Manda further says the argument that the former MPs did not move the court then is very subordinate in this case.
“Unless we are told that the most important election is that for President and that MEC were mandated to focus on this one when the public wanted to vote for a national leader, then we shall coil like a snake that has finished moulting.
“As for now, our resolve is to see justice and this should include dismissing the current sitting as that which was brought to power at constituency level by a Micky Mouse,” she stresses.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Late us see What Mtambo and his friends are going to say.Indeed aonekera n’gamba Mtambo is a crook that why he run away.He should have been the one championing this agenda.If the the whole ellection was missmanaged no discussion genuine gudges would have nullfied everything.No hiding saying no one complained.How about the other topics which they tackled without someone bringing to the court.The election was one Basi yaola imodzi zonse Basi.
Electoral says if a losing candidate feels bringing the case to court it should be within 7 days of announcement of results. Dr. Chakwera and Dr. Chilima follwed this rule even other losing parliamentary candidates went to court within the stipulated time. Where were these so called losing mps when their friends went to court? Musatinyasepo apa
Surely if the ConCourt determined that MEC was incompetent in their referring of the Presidential election and should be fired, regardless of what APM said, they cannot have been competent to referee the MPs and councillors elections.
Granted the agrieved should have lodged complaints within a specified time period but we are here talking about sham elections.
Very interesting issue I must say.
Sick and tired of everything in Malawi. Chilichonse mungapange ndagwirizana nacho basi. Everyone seems to have a point.
I agree with u. Too much politicking and we shall never move forward. Democracy is coming at a very huge cost
That’s IMPOSSIBLE. Ngati mwakhuta vibama/Nthochi kagoneni pa mphasa mupumule.
Time for Complainants of Parliamentary vote rigging or irregularities had already gone.
Now it time to remove Bwampini from State House and go on with our lives.
Don’t take us to Egypt again, we are entering Canaan very soon.
a Mlowoka mwasiya za environment? mwaona kuti kulibe ndalama bola izi?
Totally agree. All elections were affected by tippex. So parliamentary and local government polls need to be annulled. It does not make sense to annul presidential elections only.
Where have they been all this time? Asleep???
Retrogressive.
It is not. Concourt judgement has given reasonable and convincing grounds to annul parliamentary and local government polls. Tipppex was used in parliamentary and local government polls.
Once upon an idiot!