Malawi Electoral Commission MEC has hired lawyers from South Africa to represent it in an appeal against constitutional court ruling that nullified presidential elections results.
This has happened as the Supreme Court of appeal set 15 April for the case and after the constitutional court barred attorney general from representing the commission.
In a leaked document the Mboweni Maluleke film says it agreed with MEC a fee of 788, 500 dollars for the duration of the litigation process.
Directors of the film Calphus Mboweni and Hlawu Maluleke say 50 percent of the fee is payable in advance on or before the 13th March 2020 and the remaining money upon finalization of the matter.
“The retainer fee is non refundable and if MEC wants to cancel the agreement it must give them a 20 day notice. Wewill charge the commission 50 percent of the fee to recover any loss suffered by them as a cancellation of the agreement,” Mboweni Maluleke film says
However, public relations officer for MEC Sangwani Mwafulirwa said did not have information on the matter.
Commenting, one of the country’s economic scientists has condemned MEC for hiring the international lawyers .
Blantyre based economist, Dr Collen Kaluwa, said “the idea will put the burden on Malawians and depriving the country’s money that could be used on other social services.”
Dr Kaluwa added that there is no allocation of such money on the budget which means the revenue authority will be forced to collect more money to meet the gap.
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