Malawi began counting votes today following general elections held against the backdrop of deepening economic hardship, persistent fuel shortages, and public frustration with outgoing President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration.
Tuesday’s elections covering presidential, parliamentary, and local government positions proceeded mostly without incident. Early figures from the electoral commission showed that over 64% of the country’s 7.2 million registered voters had cast their ballots.
Among 17 presidential candidates, the race is widely seen as a tight contest between incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, and his main challenger, 85-year-old former president Peter Mutharika, a retired law professor who led the country from 2014 to 2020.
While many Malawians expressed a desire for change, some voters according to the report said they still believed Chakwera deserves more time to deliver on his economic promises. To win outright, a presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote. Provisional results are expected after Thursday, while the Malawi Electoral Commission is required to release official results within eight days of the vote.
