Parliament to Source Funds for Fresh Elections

Public Accounts Committee of Parliament says it will take advantage of the budget review to call for funding for the holding of a fresh election.

The Constitutional Court yesterday directed the parliament to source funding which will be used to hold a fresh poll within 150 days.

This comes following the nullification of the 21 May, 2019 presidential election by the constitutional court yesterday.

Judge Healey Potani read the ruling on Monday evening saying President Peter Mutharika was not duly elected as president in the 2019 elections.

Potani said the status of the presidency will revert to where it was before the elections when Mutharika was in his first term and his deputy was UTM leader Saulos Chilima.

The constitutional court faulted MEC for flouting electoral laws in its management of the polls and failing to ensure that the elections were free and fair.

“An election is not free and fair if the body managing the elections fails to count for missing votes; if result sheets are replete with alterations made in absence of monitors; if electoral management body fails to preserve electoral materials used in the polls which are essential for resolution of disputes; and if the process of reconciliation of ballots and votes is compromised as was case with May 21 elections,” said Potani.

Constitutional Court ruled that the 50 percent plus one vote system will be used in the fresh elections which will be held in five months.

Malawi Parliament is expected to convene in 21 days to make provisions for holding of presidential run-off elections.