(KDRTV)- A court in Malawi has annulled the 2019 presidential election citing widespread irregularities dominated the process
The fiercely contested presidential seat which was held in May 2019 returned the incumbent president Arthur Peter Mutharika to power
Read also: Malawi Gov`t Shut Schools Ahead Of Poll Ruling
The Malawian Electoral Commission, the president won the elections with 38.9% of the votes against opposition candidates Lazarus Chakwera (35.4%) and Saulos Chilima (20.2%) who was the third in the race
There were other four candidates who collectively garnered 6%
Chakwera and Chilima tendered a petition to the court saying that the elections were not fair
In 150 pages petition, the court judges ruled that the elections were null and the incumbent president will remain in power until new elections are held in the next 151 days.
READ ALSO: Enda Nyumbani na Mganga Wako! Moses Kuria Tells Uhuru, Raila to Retire in 2022
The constitutional court cited vast irregularities including unauthorized correctional fluid, Tippex. to alter the figures. the application of duplicate result sheets and unsigned results from cases that soiled the whole process.
“The position of this court is that the widespread use of Tippex greatly undermined the integrity of the elections so much that applying the qualitative approach, “The argument by the second respondent (Malawi Electoral Commission) that the valid vote count was not affected and that no monitor came forward to raise a complaint does not matter and this argument is thrown out”, the ruling stated.