Malawians went to the polls on Tuesday in a tightly contested presidential election pitting incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera against his predecessor Peter Mutharika, as the country grapples with soaring food prices, widespread poverty, and worsening climate-related disasters.
Seventeen candidates are vying for the presidency, including former leader Joyce Banda. Analysts, however, see the race as a likely two-horse contest between Chakwera, 70, and Mutharika, 85, which could head to a run-off if no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote.
Economic hardship dominated voter concerns. Inflation has stayed above 20% for more than three years, while nearly three-quarters of Malawians live below the World Bank’s poverty line of $3 a day.
A deadly cyclone and a prolonged regional drought, both linked to climate change, have devastated crops, leaving about half the population undernourished.
“Prices of livestock from farmers have been rising unstoppably. Business is down because we have had to raise the price of a kilogram of beef to 15,000 kwacha ($8.74) from 8,000 last year,” said Patrick Tito, a butcher in Blantyre.
Another voter, 32-year-old Alindiine Bellison Kazembe, said she hoped her ballot would ease the hunger crisis. “I have voted for the candidate that I am confident will solve the hunger problem,” she said.
Both Chakwera and Mutharika carry political baggage. Chakwera, elected in 2020 after Malawi’s Constitutional Court annulled Mutharika’s disputed 2019 victory, promised to root out corruption but has been criticised for slow and selective handling of graft cases.
Mutharika, a former law professor who governed from 2014 to 2020, is remembered for improving infrastructure and lowering inflation, though his rule was marred by accusations of cronyism, which he denied.
“This election is a vote against Lazarus Chakwera’s record and performance in office,” said Boniface Dulani, a political scientist at the University of Malawi. He predicted the opposition could lead but fall short of the 50+1 threshold, triggering a second round.
Voting began at 6 a.m. local time and proceeded smoothly despite reports of biometric fingerprint reader malfunctions in some stations. Alongside the presidency, Malawians are also electing members of parliament and local councillors.
Analysts expect either Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party or Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party to form coalitions with smaller parties to secure a legislative majority.
The electoral commission typically announces results within a week.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
