Malawi opposition begs time
2004-06-03 14:17
Blantyre - A Malawian high court on Wednesday postponed hearings on a lawsuit challenging the outcome of presidential elections to allow lawyers of the opposition to amend their petition.
The opposition Mgwirizano (Unity) Coalition said it would not sue the newly inaugurated president Bingu wa Mutharika because he was immune from civil lawsuits.
"We are withdrawing the name of the president from our petition entirely because the constitution protects him from being sued. We will be suing him through the attorney general," Charles Mhango, lawyer for the coalition, told a five-member panel of high court judges.
Mhango asked the court for more time to amend the petition and allow for the summons to be served on the various parties involved, saying "(we) need the court to extend the time for doing so because we will be amending our petition."
His colleague Bazuka Mhango said the summons would now be served on the attorney general who legally represents the president.
"I have allowed for the extension of time to enable the lawyers to serve petitions to concerned parties," Judge Andrew Nyirenda said.
Mhango said the summons would be served by Friday after which the court would set a new date.
Malawi's main opposition bloc last Tuesday filed a suit for a re-run of May 20 presidential polls, won by the ruling party with foreign observers questioning the results of Malawi's third free polls.