The High Court in Blantyre has rebuffed an application for a vote recount made by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Zomba Central Constituency in the May 20 parliamentary elections.

Yunus Mussa who lost the seat to People’s Party (PP) candidates Patricia Kainga said he was seeking for recount of results from at least 10 centres.

Mussa through his lawyer Nector Mhura argued that his monitors were refused permission to witness the vote count or to be given the result sheets to sign.

During the court seating on Friday, Justice John Chirwa, in his ruling said that Mussa’s application lacked merit.

The court added that Mussa has also not proved that his monitors were barred from witnessing the vote count or that there were irregularities in the conduct of the polling at any of the polling stations in the constituency.

The court also asked Mussa to bear the costs of both the first and second respondents, Kainga and Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) respectively and to be taxed, if not agreed upon by the parties.

Official results in Zomba Central show that Kainga of People’s Party (PP) got 11 861 votes representing 31.68 percent of votes cast while Mussa, who came second, got 11 017 votes representing 29.38 percent, a difference of 744 votes.