President Professor Peter Arthur Peter Mutharika says the Democratic Progressive Party is not appealing against the judgement delivered by the High Court sitting as a Constitutional Court that nullified the disputed May 21 presidential elections but it is doing so to correct the fundamental errors in the judgement to protect the country’s laws, principles of justice and democracy.
The President said this on Wednesday night in a national address he made on MBC TV, saying the DPP is ready to campaign and win as they have always done.
“We believe the judgement has errors that need to be corrected. Above all, we seek justice,” he said.
“Let us not be carried away by this court ruling because it is not the end of everything. We are one people. We have one Malawi. We remain one nation. And Malawi is bigger than us all.”
He reiterated that he was declared the winner during the May 21 presidential elections which all local and international observers agreed that the country had a peaceful, free, fair and credible election.
“In exercising their political rights, however, Reverend Lazarus Chakwera and Dr Saulos Chilima petitioned the Constitutional Court with their grievances.
“We allowed for justice to take its course because we respect the rule of law and especially because I want to continue seeing peace, love and unity prevailing among us. I am a peaceful President,” he said.
He made cognisance that on Monday, the Constitutional Court made its ruling on the Election petition which the Opposition brought before it and thanked all Malawians for their patience during the period the case had been in Court.
He also applauded the leaders of the Opposition for taking their electoral grievances to Court as provided for in the country’s laws, saying that is democracy.
“However, I condemn violence in the strongest possible terms and appeal to all Malawians to reject violence. Let us keep calm and order at all times.
“This judgement is not the end of litigation process in the May 21 elections case. Malawi is a country of laws. As a lawful nation, there remains a number of laws and legal processes and procedures provided in our Constitution to regulate how we conduct ourselves to resolve our situation.
“The most important thing is that we must preserve our constitutional order and ensure that Malawi continues to be stable and peaceful.”
He added that as the first respondent in the case, he has taken note of the judgement and like many Malawians, his legal team and himself have serious reservations with the judgment.
“We consider the judgement as a serious subversion of justice, an attack on our democratic systems and an attempt to undermine the will of the people.
“As it stands, the judgment if not cured, represents a flawed precedence for all the elections in all future elections in the country.
“In fact, this judgment inaugurates the death of Malawi’s democracy. As such it cannot stand unchallenged.
“Consequently, I have instructed my legal team to appeal against the judgment and challenge it.
“Within our Constitutional order, let us move forward in Peace, Love and Unity.
“God bless Malawi,” the President concluded.