Minister Jooma risks facing fresh elections in Monkey-Bay: Poll case back in court

The election case involving the self-proclaimed ‘Lion of the Poor’ Gerald Kazembe who stood under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ticket and Cabinet minister Ralph Jooma who stood under the embattled Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Mangochi Monkey-Bay constituency is set to resume on  March 4 2020.

The case has suffered delay courtesy of the court complications.

The petition by Kazembe was filed at Zomba High Court Registry and it was assigned to Justice Professor Redson Kapindu. Later, the Professor Judge was assigned to be one of the Judges in the five panel constitutional court judges which recently nullified the presidential election.

Then, the case was transferred to Blantyre High Court registry and it was assigned to Justice Mclean  Kamwambe who in the process of hearing retired from the judicial service.

Now, the case has been assigned to Justice Jack N’riva who has set 4th March as the day the court will resume hearing.

The court, in the initial hearing, ordered Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to produce original copies of some documents it used in some centers in the constituency.

“We are arguing that the parliamentary election in my constituency was marred with gross irregularities and that it was a sham of an election. We believe that the courts will agree with our argument and that it will grant us our pleadings, to nullify the election and order a fresh election,” said Kazembe who got 9, 052 against Jooma’s 9, 341.

Kazembe blasted his political opponent Jooma for misplaced priorities in the constituency. He said Jooma, within two weeks, constructed road to Chikoko-Bay to please President  Peter Mutharika instead of constructing the most important tourism hub road to Cape Maclear in 10 years he has been Member of Parliament in the constituency.

The MCP parliamentary aspirant is confident of landslide victory if courts nullify the election and order fresh election.

The constitutional court in Lilongwe nullified the Presidential 21 May, 2019 election which saw President Mutharika being re-elected. The court cited “wide-spread, systematic and grave irregularities” and anomalies such that the integrity of the election was seriously compromised.

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