The Malawi Supreme Court on Friday upheld the High Court’s February 3 ruling to have the May 2019 presidential election nullified and that the country should have fresh election in 150 days.
Seven judges presiding over the case made the unanimous ruling in the case where Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and President Peter Mutharika appealed the February 3 annulment.
The Supreme Court described the grounds of appeal as “embarrassing and distressful” and that “the judges struggled to make sense of it”.
The court ordered that the fresh election should be held as ruled by the High Court and that only those who voted in the May 2019 election should be the ones to vote.
On presidential contestants, the court ordered that only those who contested in the May 2019 poll should contest in the fresh election. Meanwhile, the fresh election is scheduled for July 2.
Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader, Lazarus Chakwera, and United Transformation Movement (UTM) leader, Saulos Chilima, have hailed the Supreme Court ruling saying “justice has triumphed yet again”.
Mutharika, who has picked on former president, Bakili Muluzi’s son, Atupele Muluzi, for a running mate, will face MCP leader, Chakwera, who has picked on Chilima as running mate in the fresh election.
