Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale has told the Constitutional Court that no valid votes were compromised in the May 21 Elections and has described the petitioners’ case as a multiplicity of allegations without any evidence.
Kaphale who is representing the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in the presidential elections case said this in his opening remarks for MEC’s defence in the case on Wednesday.
He said MEC’s prayer is for the court to dismiss petitions by first petitioner Saulos Chilima of UTM and second petitioner Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who were presidential candidates in the elections.
According to Kaphale, the petitioners feel they were cheated but have not presented to the court monitor results that are contrary to those that MEC has.
He also said that the petitioners have failed to tender sufficient proof or parade material witnesses.
“At the end of the day, this case should be exposed for what it is; an attempt by people that may not have obtained the majority of votes to throw sand in the dish. But then, that compromises voters’ rights which the electoral commission and the court are duty bound to uphold,” said Kaphale.
MEC has 700 witnesses in the case but the petitioners have chosen to cross-examine three. They are MEC Chief Elections Officer Sammy Alfandika, Director of Information Technology Muhabi Chisi and Director of Electoral Services.
Kaphale said the witnesses will attest to the correctness of the candidates’ valid votes on tally sheets and explain any alleged or observed irregularities.
