Vice President Saulos Chilima has applied to the Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda to have a case in which he is pushing for the firing of embattled Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah, heard at the Constitutional Court.

Following President Peter Mutharika’s failure to fire Ansah and her fellow commissioners as recommended by Parliament, Chilima commenced a case demanding judicial intervention.

Lawyer for Chilima, Khumbo Soko, told YFM Online that they want the case to be heard by more than three judges considering that the case hinges on constitutional issues.

Soko said Lilongwe High Court registry and Chilima’s legal team met to arrange files for submission to the Chief Justice.

The case was first heard by High Court judge, Justice Ruth Chinangwa but was put on hold in order to wait for the Supreme Court ruling on the presidential election appeal case.  

Soko said the Chief Justice has seven days to look into the application and make a decision on whether the case should go to the Constitutional Court or not.

Chilima went to court after president Mutharika refused to terminate contracts for MEC commissioners who were declared incompetent by High Court judges sitting in a Constitutional Court, Parliament and the Supreme Court of Appeal.