MEC, Mutharika’s ConCourt Judgment Stay Order Application to be Heard on March 11

The Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal will on March 11 hear application for the stay of Constitutional Court judgment nullifying presidential elections in the May 21 2019 polls.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) lawyer David Matumika Banda said the commission has not withdrawn the application from the Supreme Court to have the Constitutional Court order stayed until the main appeal is heard.

“The court has in fact given us new directions relating to the suspension/stay of the judgment of 3rd February 2020. The application will be heard on 11th March 2020 at 2 PM in Lilongwe,” Banda said.

President Peter Mutharika, who was the first respondent in the case, is not party to the application to have the order stayed but appealed against the whole judgment.

Mutharika’s lawyer Tamando Chokhotho said there is no date yet for the appeal.

“So far, no. There is no date for the appeal. We are just waiting to hear from the courts,” Chokhotho said.

United Transformation Movement (UTM) president Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera went to the court challenging May 21 2019 presidential elections saying they were marred by irregularities.