Voting ends in Malawi tight fresh presidential election
Polling stations have closed in Malawi’s historic court-ordered fresh presidential election following campaigning marred by clashes between rival supporters.
It is expected to be a tight race between President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance with Atupele Muluzi as running mate and the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) led by Lazarus Chakwera who has paired UTM Party president and the country’s estranged Vice-President Saulos Chilima.
Chakwera and Mutharika as front-runners were expressing confidence of winning the presidency.
For the first time, a presidential candidate must win 50-percent-plus-one system following the court’s interpretation of majority in Section 80(2) of the Constitution. Previously, winners were declared President based on simple majority or first-past-the-post to avoid a run-off.
“The voting is now officially over,” said Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa after 6pm.
He said the Commission will hold a press briefing at the National Tally Centre in Blantyre from 8pm to give an update on close of polling and results counting.
Charles Kajoloweka, executive director for the Youth and Society Organization, a local nonprofit organization, said he found it “inspiring” that the reconstituted commission’s leaders have promised better election management.
He cited “the transparency they are demonstrating,” saying it should lead to credible elections.
Long queues and a peaceful atmosphere characterized most polling stations in the country except in some places where allegations of electoral malpractices were made.
Mwayamba kuti ‘tight election’ m’mayesa mumati owina mukumudziwa.
I do not understand where you got the word “tight race”. How can the ‘Family Alliance’ be in a tight race when in actual fact did not even bother running a campaign as compared to ‘Tonse Alliance’ members who were all over Malawi? Penapache ma journalists, you chose to use words for the sake of looking stylish. I would not even use the word “Tight” in the headline. This is a landslide for the Tonse Alliance… these guys campaigned with all their might and they appealed to people with their messages. You are like, eeeeh: Tight race, Tight race! My… Read more »
Exactly my point! A very lazy choice of words.
campaign means nothing if thats the basis of your opinion on the results
And what’s your basis Sir. You want to tell the world that campaigning is useless?
Iraq under saddam hossein held credible polls than this sham of an election.
Mdima uli pachithunzipa ndiye wina aziti ndivotereni kachiwiri ndibweretsa development aaaaah nde kunamizanatu. This is a sign of having failed in the first term. Mwalephere kubweretsa magetsi wawa kwa anthu anu. Kapumeni.
You’re right. There’s supposed to be electricity in schools 55 years after independence.
ndiponso!! school yakenso ya mkatikati mwa town, CI kukhala opanda magetsi ndiye aziti tiwavoterenso