With five days left before the fresh presidential election in Malawi, President Peter Mutharika has said he is ready for the polls, local media reported on Thursday.

Independent newspaper The Nation reported that Mutharika was confident of winning Tuesday's election.

Speaking to party supporters in the capital Lilongwe on Wednesday, for the first time since May 7, Mutharika said the courts and opposition parties had robbed him of victory in the May 21, 2019 presidential election.

"I am happy that I am back to the Central Region… You all know that we won the election. We crushed them and we beat them and they went to court. Does the court elect a president?”

News website Malawi24 reported that Mutharika told the rally that the judiciary and opposition parties connived to nullify the 2019 elections even though he won.

"We won the elections and the opposition challenged the results in court. Who chooses the president? Is it the courts or the electorate?” he asked.

He urged his supporters to vote for him in the June 23 election so that he could continue developing the country.

Mutharika’s running mate Atupele Muluzi said he had been campaigning in various areas across the country and Malawians had assured him they would vote for Mutharika.

"I am confident you will get a lot of votes in all regions of the country,” Muluzi said.

Mutharika was declared the winner in the 2019 election, but opposition politicians Saulos Chilima and Lazarus Chakwera challenged the results in court.

The Constitutional Court on February 3 nullified the results of the 2019 election on the basis of massive irregularities. Mutharika appealed against the ruling.

In May, the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s decision.

The Malawian government has also come under fire for its attempt to make Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda and Justice of Appeal Edward Twea take leave pending their retirement next year.

International legal bodies have called on the government to respect the separation of powers.

Information Minister Mark Botomani, defending the government's move, said Nyirenda has 572 accumulated leave days.

Nyirenda is expected to retire in December 2021 and Twea in April 2021.