Chilima cross-examined in Malawi election case

Former Vice President Saulos Chilima was Thursday afternoon cross-examined in the presidential election case.

Chilima who leads the UTM and Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera are challenging the outcome of the May 21 elections in which President Peter Mutharika was declared winner. Mutharika and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) are respondents in the case.

Chilima through his lawyer Chikosa Silungwe told the court that MEC failed to conduct free and fair elections as irregularities affected the outcome.

“Analysis will show the irregularities which will show that MEC failed to conduct a free and fair election, failed to discharge its constitutional mandate, that there was no presidential election that can duly elect president under the Elections,” argued Silungwe.

Following the lawyer’s statement, Chilima was cross-examined by Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale who is representing MEC.

Kaphale questioned Chilima on whether they are only raising issues from polling day to which the UTM leader said they are also questioning other issues that happened before polling day.

He also asked about presidential ballot papers and whether UTM had representatives in all the streams on Election Day.

“Would you agree that the final results were an aggregation of all the results in all the streams in the Country?” asked Kaphale

“That’s the expectation,” Chilima said.

Kaphale then asked: “How many streams had no monitors, in terms of percentage?”

Chilima responded: “I don’t have a figure.”

The court later adjourned and cross-examination is expected continue tomorrow at 9 am.

Earlier in the day, Kaphale asked the court to adjourn the case for six days saying there were new materials which he needed to read and respond to.

In its ruling, the court gave the Attorney General two days (Saturday and Sunday) as well as Monday morning to read and respond to the materials.

MCP’s Chakwera and UTM’s Chilima wants the court to nullify the results of the presidential elections and order that there should be a rerun.