Malawi’s former President Peter Mutharika has opened a strong lead in the ongoing presidential race. With two-thirds of districts reporting, he has secured about 66% of the valid votes.
His main rival, incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, trails far behind with about 24%.
Provisional results show Mutharika winning in areas usually loyal to Chakwera, including the capital Lilongwe and the district of Nkhotakota.
But Chakwera’s team has refused to concede. They believe results from some remaining districts will boost his tally and may force a run-off.
“We are confident the outstanding results will change the picture,” a Chakwera ally said.
Under Malawi’s law, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes to win outright.
Electoral Commission Under Pressure
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has until Wednesday night to announce the final outcome. It said results from some districts were withheld for accuracy checks.
The MEC promised transparency, stressing that “every tally sheet is being carefully verified.”
This comes after the Constitutional Court annulled Mutharika’s 2019 victory due to irregularities. Chakwera won the re-run, but his term has been overshadowed by inflation, fuel shortages, and constant blackouts.
On Friday, Chakwera’s party said it uncovered “irregularities” and “serious anomalies” in the count. They have demanded a “physical audit” of results, though details were not provided.
Police have already arrested eight data clerks accused of trying to manipulate the tallies.
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