Confusion over Malawi re-election date

By Peter Jegwa

Malawi's electoral commission says presidential elections will not be held on 2 July, as earlier announced.

On 3 February, the country's Constitutional Court ordered a fresh vote be held after annulling last year’s re-election of President Peter Mutharika.

The court said the new elections should be held within 150 days of the date of its ruling and that period elapses on 2 July - the date the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) set as election day.

But MEC Chair Jane Ansah has said that last Friday’s Supreme Court judgement, which upheld the Constitutional Court's ruling, clarified that the date for holding fresh elections should be decided by MPs - and that the 150-day period should include the day elections results are announced.

According to electoral laws, the MEC has up to eight days to announce the results, meaning if elections were held on 2 July, the election results would come after 150 days set by the court.

It is not yet clear when parliament will sit to decide on a new election date.

This article originally appeared on BBC News 

Photo: AFP