Malawi leader to appeal against ruling annulling election result: spokesman

(AFP) Malawian President Peter Mutharika plans to challenge a court decision overturning his 2019 poll victory, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

"I can confirm that professor... Mutharika will appeal against the Constitutional Court judgement nullifying the May 21 general elections," Mgeme Kalilani said in a text message to AFP.

After six months of hearings that gripped Malawi, five top judges on Monday ruled that Mutharika was "not duly elected", citing "massive" and widespread irregularities including the use of correction fluid on results sheets.

The judges ordered a fresh election within 150 days.

But Mutharika's spokesman said "the ruling is a serious miscarriage of justice and an attack on the foundations of the country's democracy".

Lazarus Chakwera, the leader of the main opposition Malawi Congress Party, who came a close second to Mutharika on Tuesday hailed the landmark verdict as a victory for democracy and Africa.

Thousands of jubilant opposition supporters thronged his party headquarters to celebrate the ruling. AFP

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