Lazarus Chakwera won the June re-run of the electionv
LILONGWE, July 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The lawyer who represented Malawi’s new president Lazarus Chakwera in annulling the last election has turned down the post of justice minister, according to Malawi’s Daily Times newspaper.
Mordecai Msiska was the lead lawyer in the case that annulled the presidential election in December.
Chakwera went on to win the re-run of the election which was held on June 21 and reportedly subsequently offered Msiska the job.
But, he did not consider it appropriate to take up the post which he was being offered by Chakwera.
“My presence in Cabinet would have been a continuous distraction to the President’s agenda for the country,” Msisha is quoted as saying in the Daily Times.
Last year Malawi became the second African nation to annul a presidential election over irregularities, after Kenya in 2017.
Meanwhile, the government in Malawi has dissolved the boards of 60 state corporations, known as parastatals, according to the state broadcaster.
The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation said the dissolution was with immediate effect quoting a statement from the government chief secretary.
Among the dissolved boards is that of the state broadcaster, the communication regulatory authority, the bureau of standards, the electricity supply commission, national examination board, education institute and various medical boards.
The state broadcaster did not give a reason.
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera, who was sworn in on Sunday, vowed to unite the country and fight poverty.
Chakwera was elected in a re-run after former president Peter Mutharika’s win last year was nullified by the court over irregularities. — NNN-AGENCIES