Votes' Tallying 98 Percent Complete- Mec

The Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) says it has completed tallying 98 percent of the results of the May 20, 21, and 22 Tripartite Elections.

Mec Chief Elections Officer, Willie Kalonga, told Zachimalawi at the Mec National Tally Centre in Blantyre two hours ago that tallying would be completed before mid-night today.

"We have made progress. We have done 98 percent of the tallying and will be through with the rest of the work today evening," Kalonga said.

Kalonga also addressed the issue of court injunctions- which have so far been granted to the Malawi Law Society, Democratic Progressive Party, Malawi Congress Party, and politicians such as Allan Ngumuya and New Labour Party presidential candidate Friday Jumbe- saying the development has not derailed Mec's work.

"Contrary to perceptions that the court injunctions are thwarting our efforts, the truth is that they are making us work efficiently," Kalonga said.

The Democratic Progressive Party, through its presidential candidate Peter Mutharika, obtained a stay order, stopping Mec from going a head with a recount. Jumbe, Ngumuya and other politicians also obtained a stay order against Mec's decision to run a recount of the votes.

The Malawi Congress Party, on the other hand, obtained a stay order stopping all interested parties from interfering with Mec's work, effectively giving Mec the go ahead to conduct a votes' recount.

However, Jumbe, Ngumuya and others filed for contempt proceedings against the Mec chair, Justice Maxon Mbendera, and Mec commissioners four hours ago.

But Kalonga said all these developments have spurred Mec to continue its work.

"We have been served with the contempt order and our lawyers are looking into it. Our lawyers are also looking into the issue of seeking an extension to the tallying process," Kalonga said.