The head of Malawi’s electoral commission, Annabel Mtalimanja, has cautioned political parties against declaring election victory before receiving official results. This warning follows claims from the parties of the two leading presidential candidates, incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika, who asserted they had won the poll held on Tuesday.
At a press conference on Thursday, Mtalimanja emphasized that the commission holds exclusive authority to announce election results. While many Malawians are eagerly awaiting the final outcome, the commission has yet to publish any results, despite the counting process nearing completion.
The commission plans to release the official results only after all votes have been counted and verified to prevent any challenges to the final outcome. A candidate must secure over 50% of the vote to win outright; otherwise, a run-off election will take place.
The context of this election is significant, as the 2019 election was marked by disputes, leading to the annulment of then-President Mutharika’s victory due to reported widespread irregularities. Chakwera subsequently won the re-run by a substantial margin, securing his position as president. Mutharika, now 85 years old, is attempting a comeback in this election.
In addition to the presidential vote, Malawians participated in parliamentary and local elections against a backdrop of a worsening economic crisis characterized by a severe shortage of fuel and foreign currency. The official inflation rate is nearing 30%, with essential goods becoming increasingly expensive—such as a frozen chicken in the capital, Lilongwe, costing around $20, while many citizens live on $2 a day or less.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrqz4egddo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss