Muluzi and opposition leader John Tembo had forged an alliance to takeon President Bingu wa Mutharika, expected to win after presiding overfour years of economic growth averaging 7 percent a year, withinflation reduced to single digits.
Judge Edward Twea said the ruling was made because the constitution bars presidents from serving more than two terms.
The decision will likely boost wa Mutharika’s chances of staying inpower at a time when rising food and fuel costs have hit Malawi, one ofthe world’s poorest countries.
Investors will be watching to see if Muluzi stirs up his grass rootssupporters to challenge wa Mutharika, whose policies have won billionsof dollars in debt relief.
Keeping Muluzi out of the poll race could trigger the type of politicalupheaval that has threatened to derail international donor programmesand delayed Malawi’s budget for months. Donors account for 80 percentof Malawi’s development budget and stability is crucial for securingaid.
Tensions have been brewing in the run up to the election.
Muluzi was arrested in February and charged with stealing millions ofdollars of aid money during his decade as president that ended 2004. Hedenies any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of a politicalconspiracy hatched by wa Mutharika.
Hailed as a hero in 1994 for removing authoritarian leader KamuzuBanda, Muluzi stepped down in 2004 after unsuccessfully trying tochange the constitution to allow him to stand again.
Muluzi announced his comeback bid last year and was later detained onsuspicion of being involved in a coup plot. The charges were dropped.
Tembo, who came second in the 2004 election, has acknowledged waMutharika’s economic successes but accused him of neglecting millionsof poor Malawians.
Wa Mutharika’s rule has been troubled since he took office in 2004after winning an election marred by violence and accusations ofballot-rigging.
Reuters
Post published in: Zimbabwe News