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Malawi Congress Party president, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, says he is set to begin the race to the next presidential election with the first post-constitutional court open air political rally at Msundwe on the Lilongwe-Mchinji road.
Msundwe has become synonymous with civil action especially because the majority of people from there, including M’bwatalika and Mpingu, have been actively taking part in public protests aimed at forcing reforms and other governance changes.
Chakwera was speaking at the party headquarters in Lilongwe on Tuesday hours after the constitutional court nullified the May 2019 presidential election and also ordered a fresh election. The MCP leader seized the opportunity to speak his mind.
“I have said before court verdict and I repeat the same sentiments that am ready and willing to work with any political party or individuals who have good will of the country in rebuilding the country.
“We should work together and that’s what I am imploring you MCP followers to unite and vote in the forth- coming polls,” said Chakwera adding that his party is now positioning itself in preparation for the coming fresh election ordered Monday.
Chakwera said that his party is willing to enter into political partnerships with interested political parties as long as such partnership aims to build the Malawi.
The condition for entering into political partnership with others is the same that UTM president Dr. Saulos Chilima, the man with whom Chakwera challenged the Malawi Electoral Commission and Dr. Peter Mutharika, gave in a recent interview.
The grape vine is with discussion that the only way to beat the DPP at the next polls is for MCP and UTM to go into an understanding “otherwise they could be shocked.”
During the Tuesday gathering in Lilongwe, Chakwera was franked by President of the Peoples’ Party, former president Dr. Joyce Banda, who withdraw her candidature in the 2019 election and proceeded to endorse Dr. Chakwera for presidency.
Chakwera, who until now has stayed away from parliament despite winning the parliamentary vote in his constituency, says he can now return to parliament.
“I will go back to parliament to see to it that what court has ordered is worked on and is done. I have been boycotting parliament because I was busy with the case and now that we have won, we will go back to parliament,” added Chakwera.
While there have been disputes over past elections in Malawi, this is the first time a presidential vote result has been overturned in the country.
Malawi is the second country in sub-Saharan Africa to see its election results annulled, after Kenya’s top court in 2017 overturned the result of a presidential vote.
The court ordered the fresh election be held within 150 days.
Credit: Zodiak Online
