Malawi protesters say President Mutharika did not win May 21 election

FILE: Malawi Protests

Malawi protesters say President Mutharika did not win May 21 election

Two months after the Presidential election which returned President Peter Mutharika, his government is still struggling to pacify the defeated and disappointed opposition supporters.

Opposition has been on the street and in court, demanding immediate resignation of the head of the  Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

Police and opposition supporters clashed in Malawi as post-election demonstrations resumed in several cities.

The protesters want the chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission, Jane Ansah, to resign, accusing her of mishandling the 21 May election won by President Peter Mutharika.

The military has been deployed, and there are claims some protesters have been injured in other parts of the country.

Crowds have also turned up in the northern city of Mzuzu, carrying slogans denouncing the Malawi electoral commission.

The opposition Malawi Congress Party has challenged Mr Mutharika’s win, alleging vote-rigging.

Both local and international observers declared the elections free and fair, but cited vote bribery and abuse of state resources in the campaigns ahead of the vote.

Protest organisers say the demonstrations will continue until the leadership of Malawi’s electoral commission steps down.

Mutharika was on Monday 27 May 2019 declared winner of the presidential election, having garnered 38.67% of the votes cast.

Lazarus Chakwera, of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), scored 35.41% of the votes, while Deputy President Chilima won 20.24%, MEC said.

Even before the results had been announced, opposition supporters had participated in demonstrations, protesting reported irregularities in the electoral process.

‘‘MEC’s decision to declare Mutharika as winner goes against the will of the people of Malawi. I reject these results,’‘ Chakwera said.

MCP’s Director for Youth, Richard Chimwendo,told local media that the party’s supporters would take to the streets to demonstrate against electoral fraud.

MCP also pursued a legal challenge to the poll outcome, saying there must be consequences for flouting electoral guidelines.

‘‘It’s an electoral system in which officers of the electoral commission can use Tipp-Ex (correction fluid) on results sheets from all over the country… and yet there are no consequences,’‘ Chakwera said.

The Constitutional Court has since ruled that the election dispute must go to trial after the case was referred to it by a lower court.

Mutharika was nevertheless sworn-in and inaugurated on 31 May 2019, using the occasion to call for unity.

“It is time to move on. There is a time to fight. There is a time to unite, to unite and develop this country,” Mutharika, 78, told thousands of cheering supporters packed into the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

 The President was snubbed by MCP members in parliament as he delivered the State of the Nation Address on Friday 21 May, 2019.

Mutharika who then addressed legislators from his party along with a few independents, accused the opposition of trying to sabotage the economy and engage mercenaries to spread chaos.

Saying the economy would grow by 5% in 2019, Mutharika promised to continue with efforts to keep inflation and interest rates low, and comply with policy conditions on a $112 million International Monetary Fund loan.