Malawi presidential elections case ruling Monday

The Constitutional Court will deliver its ruling in the high profile presidential case on Monday, 3rd February, 2020 at Lilongwe District Registry of the High Court.

High Court Registrar Agnes Patemba has confirmed saying proceedings will begin at 9AM.

She added that access to the court premises will be restricted to individuals with access cards and there will be security personnel to enforce the rule.

According to Patemba,  members of the general the public will not be allowed within a 150 perimeter fence of the court premises and they will be expected to follow the proceedings through radio stations accredited to broadcast the case live.

Constitutional Court judges Healey Potani, Ivy Kamanga, Redson Kapindu, Mike Tembo and Dingiswayo Madise will deliver their ruling over five months after petitioners in the case filed their application challenging the outcome of the May 21 elections.

Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera and UTM leader Saulos Chilima argued during the hearing that there were irregularities that affected the results of the polls in which Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declared President Peter Mutharika as the winner.

During the last day of submissions for the case, one of the five Judges hearing the case, Potani, said disgruntled parties can appeal the Constitutional Court’s ruling to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Patemba, the High Court Registrar, also repeated the call today saying the judgment will favour either the respondents (MEC and Mutharika) or the petitioners.

“So whosoever will not be satisfied with the judgement of the High Court will have the right of appeal to the Supreme Court. Just to say that as they initially followed the legal process to take this issue to court if they will not be satisfied we want to plead with them to proceed with the same route to take the matter to the Supreme Court,” she said.