Mec appeals Concourt decision for nullifying 2019 elections

Mec appeals Concourt decision for nullifying 2019 elections
By: Vincent Gunde

The Malawi Electoral Commission( Mec), has filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme court to suspend enforcement of judgement delivered by the Concourt on Monday, 3rd February, 2020, pending the hearing and determination of appeal.

The appeal by Mec is coming following President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s address to the nation on Wednesday night that he has instructed his legal team to appeal the Concourt decision for nullifying the May, 2019 Presidential elections for a fresh elections to be held in 150 days,declaring Mutharika as not duly elected by the majority of Malawians.

In his address to the nation, President Mutharika described the judgement delivered as a serious subversion of justice, an attack on Malawi’s democratic system and an attempt to undermine the will of the people.

Mutharika said the judgement inaugurates the death of Malawi’s democracy and cannot stand unchallenged underlining that he is not making an appeal to stop the fresh elections but seeking justice.

The stand taken by Mec to appeal the Concourt decision, has left many peace loving Malawians faulting Mec saying Mec is the body trusted by Malawians to administer elections, wondering as to where in the Republican constitution has a clause empowering it to appeal.

But, speaking to a local Television station on 24th June, 2019 on why not giving time for MCP to appeal against the court’s injunction it obtained not to announce the results of the Presidential elections, Mec chairperson, Justice Dr. Mrs. Jane Ansah is quoted in the media as having said electoral cases are not appealed saying this was a reason why she went on announcing the results.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Electoral Commission( Mec) has released a fresh Presidential elections time lines with the presidential elections Day on 28th October, 2020.