Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leaders for the Eastern region, Bright Msaka and MacDonald Makanjira, have filed a petition in the High Court seeking to nullify the parliamentary election results for Machinga Likwenu constituency.

The petition requests that the court orders a fresh parliamentary election, citing multiple alleged irregularities before, during, and after polling day.

According to the petition, ballot papers were opened and left unsealed prior to the official polling day, raising concerns about election integrity.

The petitioners also allege that monitors were denied the opportunity to verify the ballot papers, undermining transparency in the process.

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Another key allegation is that one of the contestants, Tulinje Muluzi, engaged in campaigning after the official campaign period had ended.

Msaka and Makanjira further claim that there were irregularities during the counting of votes, as well as discrepancies in the reported vote tallies.

Despite these allegations, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) had declared Tulinje Muluzi as the winner of the parliamentary election in Machinga Likwenu.

The legal challenge underscores ongoing tensions in Malawi's electoral processes and highlights the demand for accountability and transparency in parliamentary contests.

The High Court is now expected to review the petition and determine whether the reported irregularities warrant a rerun of the election.