Malawi: Chakwera’s lawyer rejects ministerial job

The lawyer who represented newly-elected Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera in annulling last year’s election has declined the position of justice minister in the new president’s administration. 

Mordecai Msiska was the lead lawyer in the case to overturn the result of the presidential election in December, arguing that widespread voter fraud had undermined the validity of the outcome. The election had initially seen former President Peter Mutharika returned to power before his victory was contested by opposition leaders. 

Mr Chakwera went on to win the re-run of the election, which was held on 21 June, and reportedly offered Mr Msiska the ministerial position shortly after. 

However, Msiska did not consider it appropriate to take up the post.

“My presence in Cabinet would have been a continuous distraction to the President’s agenda for the country,” Mr Msiska told the Daily Times. 

Malawi is now the second African country to ever annul a presidential election over irregularities, after Kenya in 2017. 

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