Malawi’s President Mutharika poised to win elections: Kaliati says UTM to demand recount

With nearly all votes counted in Malawi’s presidential election and complaints being resolved by the electoral body, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate and incumbent President Peter  Mutharika has maintained  a lead over the opposition, Nyasa Times understands according to figures yet to be declared official.

President Mutharika for second term

Mutharika is likely going to be declared winner by the Justice Jane Ansah-led Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as Malawi operates a first past the post system, whoever comes top irrespective of the percentage will be declared winner.

In 2014 Mutharika won with just 36 per cent of the vote.

Ansah announced on Friday that they had received results from 3,792 centres out of the 5,002.

This was 75.81 percent of the total polling centres. The total number of ballot casts is 3,601,538. A total of 3,548,848 are valid votes while 52,690 votes are null and void.
Making an announcement of the presidential results at midday yesterday, Ansah said Mutharika was leading with 1 436 877 votes representing 40.49 percent.

The results, from 75.81 percent or 3 792 of the 5 002 polling stations, also put Chakwera on second position with 1 257 853 votes, representing 35.44 percent with UTM Party presidential candidate Saulos Chilima trailing third with 651 124 votes, representing 18.35 percent.

United Democratic Front candidate Atupele Muluzi was a distant fourth with 161 499 votes or 4.55 percent of the votes.

Prior to making the announcement, Ansah said all political parties present at the main Tally Centre in Blantyre had results for the presidential, parliamentary and Local Government elections.

“Our expectation is that they will also crosscheck with their monitors and come back to the commission if there is any disparity,” she said.

But Malawi Congress Party (MCP) led by reverend Lazarus Chakwera is claiming to be winning the tightly contested polls as the supporters started  celebrating what they believe will be a victory declared by the electoral commission.

And UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati has said the party may call on the electoral body for a full recount of the votes.

“Signs are there that the election is marred by fraudulent activities. This is why we may ask for a total recount of the votes from the districts to ascertain the winner,” said Kaliati on the sidelines of pandemonium on Friday at MEC head office over a truck suspected to have been carrying pre-marked votes from Chikwawa.

Under the electronic tallying system, results are canned and sent to the national tallying centre in Blantyre, using specially designed forms that have several security features. The commission also has auditors who will confirm figures before they are released and displayed on giant screens at the national tally center.

 

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Nemusi
Nemusi
4 years ago

Kodi Apa tiziti UTM sikumvesetsa kuti mphavu ya vote sikuwa lora kukhala atsogoleri athu. Akanavomekeza game ndiyowina munthu mmodzi iyi. Zisankhozi zatenga kale nthawi yathu yambili…Tikukambapa anthu ambili alibe ndalama chifukwa ma business awo ayima, Ana sakupita ku sukulu, anthu amuzitchito zina monga zamanja ndizina zayima. Dyera la mipando sisatipatse mavuto ena…ngochuluka kale…Kukhalira kutukwana mmisonkhano lero zakuwonekerani.

JOSEPH CHAGOMELANA
4 years ago

VUTOTU SIINUYO A MCP KOMA KUTI YEMWE ANAYIMILA CHIPANICHI ANATHAWA NTCHITO YA MULUNGU NDIE MMMM SANGAMAKE PA APM KOMASOTU INU A MCP MUDZIWE LERO KUTI PALIBE CHOMWE CHIMAYENDA POPANDA MAKOBIDI.PLZ NEXT TIME TRY ONOTHERONE BUT NOT OBUSA OCHAKWELA

Chipiliro K Banda
Chipiliro K Banda
4 years ago

HOW I WISH THERE IS JUSTICE IN THE COUNTRY. THE VERY PEOPLE WE CALL JUDGES ARE ESSENTIALLY CUSTODIANS OF INJUSTICES. Go you everywhere and find out who people really want to be their leader, you find out that is some other person than Munthalika, who as it stands, is being portrayed as the winner. Anthu tayankhula via voting that we need regime change and yet one is still clinging on to power. SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whats the essence then of voting if you MEC people think of choosing a leader by yourselves . . . Let justice prevail. Scrutunise of the rigging… Read more »

tobia
tobia
4 years ago

ndife ana adad x3 . kamodzi, thi! kawiri thithi!.Ine ndimadziwa kuti DPP iwina.

faith
faith
4 years ago

ife nkalamba mbomamu tatopa nazo zichoke basi

faith
faith
4 years ago

mutharika sangawine chisanko ndimuntu wokalamba kwambiri ndiye pano akufuna azibela chisanko chifukwa chani , chilima wawina no matter what the truth ilipo chifukwa chani a dpp akanika kulengeza ma results a okwanisa 99.2 percent they know chilima has won ndiye mwana uja ndiwasukulu pano sitikuvotela kukalisamo mboma koma luntha la muntu basi, nde ma cadet just shut up your mouth

Frank Chikadza
Frank Chikadza
4 years ago

Let power of ballot prevail over people’s greed

Nalingula
Nalingula
4 years ago

Lesson: There are Two Ships on the Sea MCP and DPP…the others are just Boats no matter how much you Try to squeeze yourselves in …simungakwanemono anta! Let’s learn to Vote Strategically …osati ma Emotions thoo …Onani lero UTM yathira mchenga Ndiwo za Mmemo wagulu…

oMachemba
oMachemba
4 years ago

Kaliati sore loser uyu. She and her fellow UTM Judases should just lick their wounds to enhance the healing process. We can’t waste money by recounting, when the UTM candidate, Chilima, is a very distant third. His numbers necessitate him to disappear into the sunset. The runner up, oChakwera, could ask for recounts; but even he should know that the gap is too wide to be erased by recounts. Elections done and dusted. Won by APM, the DPP candidate, hands down. We told you to underestimate him at your own risk; and that UTM support was basically ethereal, as the… Read more »

yemwe
yemwe
4 years ago

kukubwelaku azivota a mec ndi dpp team basis chifukwa zayambazi ndizibwana 20 constituency yomwe ansar akuinena ya mangochi yachokela kuti yomwe sinawelengedwe mukungotembenuza ma figure kuti mubele chisanko , this too much mukuona mukakala pampando mukufuna musamacholepo, ulendo muchoka

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