BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Chifundo Kachale has trashed a complaint which was lodged by Mbakuwaku Movement for Democracy (MMD) candidate Peter Kuwani asking for disqualification of Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), saying it has no legal basis.
Kachale disclosed the verdict when he was updating the general public on the progress of the counting of votes for the fresh presidential election which was conducted on Tuesday.
According to Kachale, the commission met immediately after the morning update and found that the complaint had no valid arguments.
He further said that Presidential candidates gave a right to choose a running mate of their choice without any restrictions.
Mbakuwaku, in its complaint, had alleged that Chakwera and Mutharika flouted the law when they changed their running mates in the fresh election.
“Based on the fact, point of law and Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal (MSCA) consequential directions and recommendations on candidates, MEC should nullify the candidature for Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for being reconstituted.
“It is apparent that MSCA consequential directions and recommendations as regards to candidates should be in tandem to consequential directions and recommendations on voters’ roll,” read the complaint in part.
In the 2019 elections, Saulos Chilima who is running mate for MCP’s Chakwera and Atupele Muluzi of DPP-UDF alliance, represented UTM and United Democratic Front respectively as presidential candidates.
Meanwhile, Chakwera is leading in the presidential race followed by Mutharika. Kuwani is trailing at the bottom after amassing less than 1 percent of the counted votes.
