SADC commends Malawi court nullifying results of presidential poll

   HARARE, Feb. 5 -- Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)'s Organ on Politics, Defense and Security, has commended the Malawian Constitutional Court for upholding the Constitution.
   This follows Monday's ruling by the court that the May 2019 presidential election won by President Peter Mutharika should be re-run because it had been fraught with irregularities.
   In a statement dated Feb. 4 and released to media Wednesday, Mngangagwa said SADC acknowledged the Constitutional Court's decision nullifying the results of the May 21 presidential election and the order that fresh elections should take place.
   "SADC commends the Constitutional Court for upholding the Malawian Constitution, and the electoral law in the conduct of the petition. SADC urges all stakeholders to respect the judgment of the Constitutional Court, and maintain peace and tranquility whilst the relevant national institutions prepare for fresh elections," he said.
   He added that SADC would continue to support Malawi in the election process as guided by the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections and would remain seized with developments in the country.
   The Malawi Electoral Commission had declared Mutharika winner of the election with a narrow victory of 38 percent of votes against Lazarus Chakwera's 35 percent and Saulos Chilima's 30 percent.
   The two rivals petitioned the court to have the results nullified on the basis that the process was fraught with irregularities. Xinhua