Reflections on Malawi's 2019 elections court decisions
Friday, July 10, 2020
![Speaking out: Dingake](https://cdn4.premiumread.com/?url=https://www.mmegi.bw/uploads/imported_images/2020/july/10/phpVffSLT.jpg&w=400&q=72&f=jpg&t=1)
Speaking out: Dingake
In February 2020, the Constitutional Court of Malawi in a monumental 500-page judgement annulled the country’s May 2019 presidential election and ordered a re-run within 150 days, citing widespread polling irregularities that included the unlawful use of correction fluid on ballot papers.
The court also found that only about a quarter of the results sheets were verified, and concluded that such conduct amounted to “serious malpractice that undermined the elections”.
The BDP as a party known to have ample resources has always held its primaries well in time, but this time around that was not the case. The first leg of the primaries was held last weekend, with the final leg being billed for the coming weekend. This time around, the BDP failed to shine in its primary elections. The elections were chaotic; most if not all polling stations didn't open at the specified time of 6am. Loyal BDP members braved the...