Kuwani wants Mutharika, Chakwera disqualified

Presidential candidate Peter Kuwani has demanded the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to disqualify fellow presidential candidates, Lazarus Chakwera and President Peter Mutharika, in the Fresh President Elections.

Kuwani of the Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD) has said this in a complaint submitted to the electoral body today.

The MMD candidate says Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party and Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party should be disqualified for not maintaining their candidates from the 2019 Presidential Elections.

In May the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the Constitutional Court’s decision to nullify the 2019 elections. The court also ordered that the candidates who were injured in the 2019 elections are the ones eligible for the 2020 elections.

Mutharika and Chakwera were candidates in the 2019 elections in which their runningmates were Everton Chimulirenji and Sidik Mia, respectively.

However, for the 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections, Mutharika picked Atupele Muluzi as runningmate while Chakwera partnered with Chilima. Muluzi and Chilima were also presidential candidates in the now nullified polls.

On his part, Kuwani maintained his runningmate Archbold Maclenard Kalawang’oma.

Kuwani claims that Chilima and Muluzi have a right to drop out of the presidential race but should not bounce back as runningmate.

“Unless otherwise guided by the hidden grids of the Constitution and relevant statutes, the Presidential candidate has no legal backing to have his/her candidature withdrawn and subsequently pair another candidate as a running mate in the same Presidential race,” said Kuwani.

He claims that he is the only who fully adopted the Supreme Court directions and recommendations for the sanctioned fresh Presidential election.

MEC chairperson Chifundo Kachale said on Wednesday morning that the commission will make a determination on the matter.