High Court Judge Healey Potani on Thursday recused himself from handling matters of of Malawi’s controversial presidential elections, delaying of recount of ballots or whether elections results can be declared by Friday. Some of the most brilliant advocates on show were Modecai Msisha and Gustave Kaliwo representing the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Sam Tembenu, […]
The Malawi Citizens Forum on Thursday joined stakeholders to call upon the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to ensure that a vote recount is carried out before any official results of the elections are announced. The forum’s Chairperson Dawn Gowa-Nyasulu told journalists in Lilongwe that the recounting of votes will make Malawi to have credible elections […]
Regardless of what people may say, I still think that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is the most sophisticated party in Malawi today. In my view, the DPP is a strategic-based party with everything they do being a factor of a well, thought-out approach. Their strategies are sleek, even ruthless at times. I am not […]
Over Internet radio, I was listening to some of the election results coming out of Zodiak on May 21st. My initial reaction was to ask myself why the station would announce results when the voting had not yet been completed. It had been announced earlier that some polling stations had not received voting materials on […]
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate at the May 20 tripartite elections, Peter Mutharika, on Wednesday refused to meet fellow presidential candidates to work out a peace deal in the wake of disputed elections in Malawi. The Public Affairs Committee (PAC), a grouping of various faiths, had invited all the presidential candidates to Sunbird Mount […]
NGO-Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN) Observer Mission to the country’s tripartite polls, has called on the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) to ensure that all complaints lodged by female candidates are properly recorded in a sex disaggregated format and that are effectively dealt with before they escalate and cause serious disturbances. The observer team noted a number […]
As the court sits at this moment, let me fulfill my promise to shed light on the question of the extension of vote determination process. This issue relates to the requirement to announce the national result within 8 days. This is not a constitutional requirement but a legislative one. Much as I hate quoting laws […]
Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Maxon Mbendera says the commission may announce its determination of the national election results on Friday in according to the law that requires the Commission to announce election within 8 days from the last day of polling – unless the High Court act otherwise. Mbendera briefed reporters at […]
The U.S.-based rights watchdog Freedom House has urged Malawi to carry out “unimpeded and properly monitored” recount of the ballots of last week’s election marred with damaging irregularities. Unofficial count showed that Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party was in the lead with 36% of the vote. Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party […]
Ordinary Malawians appear to be divided on how the country should proceed over the controversial presidential elections whose results could be announced on Friday if the courts rule out a recount. There is a divided opinion on how to resolve the impasse with some backing the recount of ballots while others feel it is only […]
A Twitter conversation purportedly between Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Peter Mutharika and his special aide Ben Phiri discussing “planting” ballots to official of People’s Party in Blantyre has been leaked on Wednesday went viral overnight. The conversation which flooded social media networks is from Phiri’s Twitter account said to chatting with Mutharika on dumping […]
The voting process for the 20 May Tripartite elections is over but the battle for democracy rages on in the warm heart of Africa, Malawi. At the centre of the battle are the political parties and their respective candidates who are hoping for a victory. At this stage controversy over the electoral process has heightened. […]
Political developments in the past few days have been challenging to Malawians and have put to test the country’s democracy and governance institutions. These developments, however, have to be put into context. Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda has always been committed to issues of democracy, good governance and transparent Government since her accession to the […]
Former Malawi’s vice president Justin Malawezi says the ongoing election impasse and demands coming with the holding of the first ever tripartite polls have been a learning experience for the country but requires political solution to move foward. Malewezi, who served as Malawi’s second in command between 1994 and 2004 under the democratically elected leadership […]
Churches in Malawi say the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) must be left to itself to work towards fulfilling its mandate. The Malawi Council of Churches (MCC) adds the current May 20th vote results impasse has created fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Entitled ‘Towards Peaceful Electoral Results Discource – Malawi Council of Churches call for Peaceful Conduct […]
As far as parliamentary seats are concerned, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is now the biggest party in the house with an unprecedented 74 seats – almost twice what the former majority party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has attained. That, however, does not make its President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, the most powerful politician in […]
Malawi rights campaigners Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) said that matters of legitimacy are non-derogable and fundamental pillars of good governance and hence must not be compromised in any way. The statement comes on the hills of a continued heated court battle in the aftermath of 20 May Tripartite elections with the electoral […]
Images of what appears to be dumped ballot boxes on Wednesday flooded some social media users as people took to the street in Nyambadwe, Blantyre after claiming to have discovered filled Presidential ballot box dumped in the neighbourhood. – Dumped ballot boxes from Chilomoni in the city were discovered in Nyambadwe. Police successfully calmed down […]