Malawian President Joyce Banda has accepted the elections results declared by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) is the president-elect.
Banda has reportedly accepted the election results despite earlier this week claiming the vote was “null and void “amid allegations of polling irregularities and fraud.
The outgoing president said that she was ready to leave office after the court ruled that the MEC should rather announce the winner of the election and not initiate a recount.
Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda ruled that Ruled that the release of the results of voting that ended May 22 couldn’t be delayed beyond yesterday. Various political parties have called for a recount and cited irregularities.
“I am ready to leave,” said Banda whose official Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe will be occupied by new tenant President-elect Mutharika.
“But I am happy that the people of Malawi know that I wasn’t lying when I called this election fraudulent,” she said.
Mutharika, brother of Malawi’s former leader late Bingu wa Mutharika, was Friday night declared the winner of the country’s disputed presidential election after garnering 36.4 percent of the votes cast
.
Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2% of the vote.
The electoral commission said Mutharika came ahead of Lazarus Chakwera who obtained 27.8 percent of the vote.
Supporters of Banda have held a series of protests alleging that the vote was rigged in favour of Mutharika
DPP Publicity Secretary Nicholas Dausi however said the party maintained that “regardless of few irregularities by and large the election has been free, fair and credible.”
Source: Nyasa Times
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