Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera says he will not accept results of the May 21 presidential election.
Chakwera came second in the election after getting 35 percent of the vote while the winner, President Peter Mutharika, got 38 percent of the votes.
In his first interview since Mutharika was declared winner, the MCP leader told the BBC that he will continue to challenge the result of the Malawi election in the court.
“If we do not fight for the Malawians they may never know what actually happened,” he said.
He maintained his parity’s stance that there were serious irregularities in the counting of the vote as Tipp-Ex was used by presiding officers to doctor figures.
“It’s an electoral system in which officers of the electoral commission can use Tipp-Ex [correction fluid] on results sheets from all over the country… and yet there are no consequences,” he said.
On his absence at Mutharika’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Chakwera said the government did not invite him.
Chakwera’s MCP obtained an injunction last week stopping Malawi Electoral Commission from announcing results of the elections. The party also demanded a recount of the votes.
When announcing the winner on Monday, the electoral commission insisted that it did not favour any political party saying results of the polls were decided by voters.
It seems MEC is responsible to choose who should be a Leader then no need for voting
Life should not be like that. The truth should be investigated and found. Failing which we will keep on living like this. Tisapange bodza kusanduka chilungamo. malawi is a God fearing nation such things should not be part of us.
Tazipitani kunjakotu
Politics always ls like that, for those who did not make it don’t lose hope maybe next time will make it, for now forget let others also use the of winning that’s how goes…
MCP and UTM must fully investigate how this election was stolen. How was it possible for schools in rural areas which struggle to find chalk, suddenly find plentiful supplies of Tippex? Why was MEC tight lipped in 2 “updates” conferences (even refusing to answer questions in one of them, then suddenly become impatient to announce the final result? How much were returning officers paid to doctor results?
Failure to investigate fully and publicize findings will lead to massive voter apathy in future TPE (i.e. Ti-Pexx Elections, rather than Tri-Partite Elections). Our democracy should be “one man, one vote” rather than “one tippex bottle, many votes”
I had never seen a stupid country like, I’m ashamed to be a Malawian. If a candidate won votes by 38 percent its so simple which means 62 percent of people in the country don’t want him. So how can you let him rule the country? If MEC got the power to choose someone and put him on power, why wasting poor citizens time by going out in numbers to vote? To my opinion it would have been better if you let the top three candidates to compete again and get the results. Why Malawi?? My country Why??