Former President Peter Mutharika has taken a strong lead in Malawi’s presidential race as provisional results continue to be released.
With two-thirds of districts reporting, the 85-year-old has secured about 66% of the valid votes. His closest rival, President Lazarus Chakwera, trails with around 24%.
In a surprise turn, the results show Mutharika performing well in areas usually considered Chakwera’s strongholds, including the capital, Lilongwe, and the central district of Nkhotakota.
To win outright, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote. The Malawi Electoral Commission has until Wednesday evening to declare the final results from last Tuesday’s election.
At least 12 districts are yet to report, including rural areas around Lilongwe and Dedza, where Chakwera’s camp believes he will perform strongly. Two other districts, seen as favourable to Mutharika, have had their results withheld while the commission verifies tally sheets.
Officials say they are committed to “transparency, accuracy and credibility,” noting that every figure is being carefully checked. In 2019, Mutharika’s victory was annulled by the courts due to irregularities, forcing a re-run, which Chakwera went on to win.
Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party has raised concerns, claiming to have found “serious anomalies” and calling for a physical audit of results. The party has not detailed the alleged irregularities.
Meanwhile, police confirmed the arrest of eight data entry clerks accused of attempting to manipulate results.
Chakwera came to power in 2020 after defeating Mutharika in the re-run election. However, during his five years in office, Malawi’s economy has faced worsening inflation, food and fuel shortages, and frequent power outages.
As the count continues, Malawians are watching closely to see whether Mutharika can secure a first-round win or if the country will head to a run-off.
