Malawi's former VP files complaint against president

Malawi’s former Vice President Saulos Chilima has filed a complaint against President Peter Mutharika, challenging his decisions in the crisis that followed the annulment of last year’s presidential election, his lawyer said Thursday.

Mutharika was declared winner of the first round of a May 2019 election with 38.5% of the vote, against 35.4% for opposition leader Larazus Chakwera. Saulos Chilima came third with 20.2%.

But the Constitutional Court annulled Peter Mutharika’s victory in February this year due to supposed fraud and ordered fresh elections billed for 2 July 2020.

The battle between the opposition and the head of state has been raging for months, yet, Mutharika has refused to enact the laws needed to hold a fresh vote and to dismiss the current members of the Electoral Commission, as requested by the Constitutional Court.

Peter Mutarika, who has been in power since 2014, has appealed against the annulment of the elections to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which is expected to rule on the case from 15 April.