Chakwera, Chilima congratulate Biden: ‘Future of Malawi, US relations looks bright’ 

President Lazarus Chakwera and vice president Saulos Chilima have joined African leaders in congratulating US President-elect Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, following their victory.

Biden was declared president-elect four days after polls closed, marking the conclusion of a bitter race against President Donald Trump that was fought against the backdrop of the pandemic, which has killed more than 228,000 Americans.

His victory means that Mr Trump will be a one-term president whose four-year tenure will be bookended by two Democrats — Barack Obama and now Biden, who served as vice-president between 2008 and 2016.

Chakwera and Chilima have posted congratulatory messages separately in their Facebook walls and Twitter.

In a one paragraph message, Chakwera says: “Congratulations to US president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris. I know that under your leadership, Malawi-USA relations will continue to thrive.”

And on Twitter, Chakwera wrote: “ Congratulations to US President-elect Joe Biden. The future of Malawi-US relations looks bright.”

Chilima, on the other hand, says: “We join the celebration from the victory in US presidential elections.

“Bravo president-elect Biden and vice president-elect Harris. We keep the faith.”

Many of the leaders in Africa have pointed to Biden’s track record and said how much they looked forward to working with him.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said  Biden’s “emphatic win” was “a demonstration of Americans’ confidence in the leadership credentials of the former vice-president”.

The 77-year-old was first elected to the US senate in 1972 and served as Barack Obama’s vice-president for eight years.

Harris  has made history as the first female, first black and first Asian-American US vice-president-elect.

Kenyatta said  Ms Harris would be a role model who would “help inspire and embolden millions of young girls across the world to chase and achieve their dreams of greatness and success”.

President of Zimbabwe, whose country has a tense relationship with the US over its human rights record, did not stint on his congratulations.

Some Zimbabwean individuals and businesses have been subject to sanctions going back 20 years.

“Zimbabwe wishes you every successes in leading the American people. I look forward to working with you to increase co-operation between our two nations,” President Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted.

Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo described Biden’s victory as “decisive” and congratulated Ms Harris on making history.

Other leaders sent out short congratulatory messages not long after the result came through on Saturday.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou, Senegalese President Macky Sall, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Somalia’s leader Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmajo, were among those who took to Twitter saying they looked forward to working with Biden.

Outgoing US President Donald Trump has yet to concede.

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