The Malawi High Court is expected to rule Friday whether the results of the May 20th presidential election should be announced or a recount should be held. With about a third of the votes counted, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Peter Mutharika is leading with 42 percent of the unofficial tally. But Malawi Congress Party presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera, who is in second place, has gone to court along with third place candidate President Joyce Banda to demand a recount. Meanwhile, Malawi’s Electoral Commission Chair Maxon Mbendera said late Thursday that despite some irregularities, over 95 percent of voting was free, fair, transparent and credible. He said he will announce the final results Friday barring any court intervention.
Malawi laws dictate that results be announced within 8 days after the polling.
DPP Publicity Secretary Nicholas Dausi says his party wants the results announced and its candidate Peter Mutharika declared winner. “All along the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has maintained that regardless of few irregularities by and large the election has been free, fair and credible. That’s why we have asked the Malawi Electoral Commission to announce the results as their constitutional and statutory requirement,” he said.
Dausi said there should not be a recount because most of the ballots have already been tampered with.
Full Article: Malawians Await Court Ruling on Controversial Election.
