Malawians are voting in a closely watched general election, held against a backdrop of economic hardship and political uncertainty, with three former presidents among the candidates.
Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera faces challenges from ex-leaders Peter Mutharika and Joyce Banda, alongside 14 other contenders. The election comes five years after a historic court-ordered rerun in 2020, which reshaped Malawi’s political landscape.
The ballot is taking place as Malawians grapple with soaring inflation, fuel shortages and food insecurity. Corruption scandals and the recent death of Vice-President Saulos Chilima have deepened the sense of instability within the Tonse Alliance, the coalition that brought Mr Chakwera to power.
Analysts say the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) faces the critical task of restoring confidence after the disputed 2019 vote, which was annulled by the constitutional court.
“This election is pivotal because there is a real need to assess the steps the electoral commission has taken to address the irregularities that arose in 2019,” said Takunda Tsunga, a senior programmes officer at Election Resource Centre Africa, speaking on the Asakhe current affairs programme on X Spaces.
Reports suggest strong voter turnout, with some people queuing from as early as 3am.
“Surprisingly, the voting is coming at a time when there are economic challenges here in Malawi,” said Anthony Manda, a journalist with Transworld Radio Malawi. “I went to a few voting centres and most were saying they opened at 06:00, some at 06:45, but surprisingly people started queuing to vote at 3am. They were eager to vote.”
He added that logistical issues such as poor internet connectivity and confusion over alphabetical queues had slowed the process in some rural areas.
Seventeen presidential candidates are running, though opinion polls suggest the contest is dominated by Mr Mutharika and Mr Chakwera.
“We have 17 presidential candidates. I think the fight is between the top three,” said Selina Nokwani, online editor for Nation Publications Limited. “All those opinion polls have given Peter Mutharika a lead.”
She cited recent surveys showing Mr Mutharika with around 41–43% support, compared with 26–31% for Mr Chakwera.
Under Malawi’s electoral rules, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright. If no one crosses that threshold, a run-off will be held within 60 days.
Polls are due to close at 16:00 local time, but MEC officials have confirmed that anyone in the queue before the deadline will still be allowed to vote.
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