Just last Wednesday, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) asked religious leaders to convince party president John Tembo into dropping his elections case.

The call soon gathered steam that other MPs belonging to various opposition parties followed suit, arguing dropping the case, in which Tembo is contesting May 19, 2009’s presidential results, would do the country and MCP more good than harm.

Tembo reacted to the calls by laughing, saying the MPs did not know what they are doing. The MCP Tsar even said he, and his party, had colossal evidence against the Electoral Commission and president Bingu wa Mutharika..

“What these people are saying is laughable. Anyway, they have the right to their opinion,” said Tembo, signaling that under no circumstances would he succumb to calls to drop the case and forge ahead- perhaps to 2014.

Under the MCP constitution, Tembo is ineligible to stand as party president in 2014, when Malawi goes to the parliamentary and presidential polls again. Tembo has run for the country’s presidency twice, and twice he has failed.

Just what the MCP constitution discourages. Political analysts have linked Tembo’s insolence to the party’s constitution, saying he knew his time was up.

Fast-forward to Friday, July 17. The High in Lilongwe quashed Tembo’s petition, asking the court to declare the May 19 presidential results null and void.

The court, through Justice Joseph Mwanyungwa, said the allegations lacked substance and could not be proven to be true.

The court also said the MCP did not have sufficient grounds to continue with the case.

This, apparently, drew the MCP into a fix. They must not have expected this to become the turn of events, as seen through Tembo’s lawyer Fahad Assan.

When asked about his client’s next move, Assan could not immediately comment- only saying he needed to consults.

The party’s, and Tembo’s supporters, were clearly baffled, and resorted to venting their anger on journalists.

Some of them caught two reporters by the neck, threatening to deal “with you” for what they said was journalists’ bias..

One of the angry supporters threatened to deal with a Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) reporter, in an apparent mistaken identity case. The attacker later said he thought the MIJ reporter worked for state-run media- Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and Malawi Television.

Is it the end of Tembo, and his presidential ambitions?

Only Monday will tell, when the MCP leader announces his next move. However, he told journalists last year he would never resign from politics until he ruled Malawi.

Malawi is waiting.

AEP