Malawi (Vol 17, 2020)
in Africa Yearbook OnlineSearch for other papers by George Dzimbiri in
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Search for other papers by Lewis Dzimbiri in
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(3,834 words)
The nullification of the 2019 presidential elections by the high court was the most dramatic event that drew the attention of Malawians over the year. Peter Mutharika was declared the winner in the May 2019 polls amid widespread allegations of irregularities and vote-tampering, particularly the use of corrective fluid called Tipp-Ex. The opposition Malawi Congress Party (mcp) and United Transformation Movement (utm) filed a petition challenging the election results at the high court, and on 3 February a panel of five judges unanimously nullified the May 2019 presidential elections and ordered that fresh elections be held in 150 days. Intra- and inter-party conflicts ensued as preparations for the elections were underway. The fresh elections took place on 23 June, and Lazarus Chakwera of the mcp won under the banner of the nine-party grouping called the Tonse Alliance. The composition of Chakwera’s cabinet and parastatal board of directors attracted criticism from Malawians for lack of merit and gender balance. The country also witnessed an escalation of the coronavirus pandemic during the first half of the year, leading to job losses, loss of business, and closure of companies. Mutharika declared the coronavirus pandemic a national disaster, and announced a 21-day lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus, a decision opposition parties saw as a strategy to postpone fresh elections. Consequently, there was widespread protest against the lockdown by vendors, human rights groups, and opposition parties.
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Malawi (Vol 17, 2020)
in Africa Yearbook OnlineSearch for other papers by George Dzimbiri in
Current site
Google Scholar
Search for other papers by Lewis Dzimbiri in
Current site
Google Scholar
(3,834 words)