The Malawi Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal, brought by President Peter Mutharika and Malawi’s electoral commission, to suspend the judgement it made last week annulling May’s presidential election.

The Constitutional Court court also dismissed the electoral body’s claim that another election would be too expensive.

Judge Dingiswayo Madise said democracy was costly and the rights of citizens were paramount.

The court’s initial ruling invalidated Mr Mutharika’s narrow victory on the grounds of widespread polling irregularities.

It has ordered a re-run of the poll within five months.