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MALAWI COURT NULLIFIES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS AND ORDERS NEW VOTE

MALAWI COURT NULLIFIES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS AND ORDERS NEW VOTE

Malawi’s Constitutional Court on Monday nullified the results of last year’s presidential election, citing “widespread, systematic and grave” irregularities including significant use of correction fluid to alter the outcome.


The two leading opposition candidates had challenged the narrow election win of President Peter Mutharika, alleging that irregularities affected over 1.4 million of the total 5.1 million votes cast.


‘‘We consider that” Peter Mutharika “was not duly elected on 21 May 2019. We therefore annul the results of the presidential election,”

said court judge Healey Potani.


He ordered a new presidential election to be held within 150 days.

The verdict, which is expected to stoke turmoil in the traditionally peaceful southern African country, can be appealed by Mutharika, who will remain president until the new polls.