Vote recount bid lacks merit, court rejects DPP’s Mussa

The High Court in Blantyre dismissed  a poll results dispute case for Zomba Central Constituency  in which  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) former Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency Yunus Mussa applied for a vote recount  against the incumbent parliamentarian for People’s Party (PP) Patricia Kainga Nangozo.

Mussa, who ws being represented by Dr Necton Mhura, contended in the court that the May 20 tripartite election results for various centres in the constituency had some grave irregularities.

He argued that his monitors were either refused permission to witness the vote count or to be given the result sheets to sign,

The DPP eastern region vice-president challenged  poll centre results from Sacred Heart School, Chancellor College, Matiya School Chinamwali, Thundu School, Chalomwe School and Satema, where he claims there were massive irregularities.

But Justice John Chirwa in his determination said Mussa’s application lacked merit.

He pointed out that the claims for irregularities was  not substantiated with any evidence, saying the Mussa did not prove “how such irregularities would have affected the results of the elections in the said constituency.”

The court ordered Mussa to bear the costs of both the first and second respondents, Kainga and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) respectively and to be taxed, if not agreed upon by the parties.

Mussa has since been appointed by President Peter Mutharika to be Malawi’s envoy in Egypt. He will wait for parliament approval.