admin
BLANTYRE. — Malawi’s disputed presidential elections ran into fresh trouble yesterday after a judge due to rule on when the results should be released had to step down from the case. The hitch means it is now unclear whether court challenges to the disputed vote will be considered before today’s midnight deadline for releasing the results.
High court judge Healy Potani was due to hear the case yesterday and rule today on whether Malawi’s electoral commission could be granted a 30-day extension in order to hold a recount.
But he recused himself after his impartiality was challenged on the grounds that one of his brothers is a deputy chief elections officer at the electoral commission.
Efforts were being made to find a new judge to hear the case, officials said.
But with the case thrown into confusion, the electoral commission indicated it might have to release the results today without a recount.
By law, the commission is obliged to release the results within eight days of the vote.
Chief elections officer Willie Kalonga told AFP: “We still have until tomorrow (today) to announce the results.”
The Malawi Congress Party, whose presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera was running second in preliminary results released after about a third of the vote had been counted last week, had asked for a court order allowing for a recount. But the Democratic Progressive Party led by Peter Mutharika, who was leading the vote in early results, wanted the court to prevent the 30-day extension.
Meanwhile, President Joyce Banda, who was shown to be running third, last week called the vote “null and void”, saying it was marred by “serious irregularities”, and called for fresh elections.
Modecai Msiska, a lawyer for the electoral commission,said despite the failure of the case to begin with, “as we stand now, the Commission is within the statutory calendar to release the results by Friday (today)”.
Meanwhile, ordinary Malawians appeared divided on how the country should proceed over the controversial presidential elections.
Nyasa Times reported that there is a divided opinion on how to resolve the impasse with some backing the recount of ballots while others feel it is only going to drain the country’s resources.
“I like the idea of a recount because it will settle all suspicions,” said Margaret Tamale (36), a street vendor selling bananas outside the tally centre in the commercial capital Blantyre.
Noel Bakuli, an employee at a mattress manufacturing company, said the idea of a recount “is a waste of time and resources for a poor country like ours.”
The chief election officer, Willie Kalonga, has indicated that the recount, which could take up to 30 days, may cost the impoverished country around US$4.2 million.
“We would have to ask government to fund us,” he said. – AFP/Lusaka Times/HR.
Online Reporter