By Suleman Chitera

High Court Judge Howard Pemba has dismissed an application by President Lazarus Chakwera and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to stop the Malawi Electoral Commision (MEC) from declaring presidential election results for the September 16 polls.

Based on court documents, Chakwera and MCP were seeking an injunction and judicial review over MEC’s failure/refusal to determine the party’s complaint on alleged electoral irregularities.

But Justice Pemba, while granting Chakwera and MCP permission to apply for judicial review, has rejected the application for an injunction to stop MEC from declaring or publishing the final presidential results.

In an interview a while ago, Judiciary spokesperson Ruth Mputeni said the decision means MEC is at liberty to proceed with declaration of results.