Malawi Votes in Crucial Elections as Economic Crisis Deepens
Malawi commenced voting early Tuesday in general, parliamentary, and local elections marked by intense competition, with President Lazarus Chakwera seeking re-election against former President Peter Mutharika, who is currently leading in various opinion polls, reports 24brussels.
Polling stations opened at 6:00 AM local time (04:00 GMT) with a ballot featuring 17 candidates. The voting process is set to conclude at 4:00 PM local time (2:00 PM GMT), allowing approximately 7.2 million registered voters to participate in this significant electoral event, according to the Malawi Electoral Commission.
Voters are faced with a choice between two candidates whose previous terms were marred by allegations of cronyism, corruption, and economic mismanagement. Both candidates have promised to address the challenges confronting Malawi, where citizens are grappling with fuel shortages, power outages, and escalating food prices.
Economic analysts highlight that both Chakwera and Mutharika have focused their campaigns on revitalizing the agriculture-dependent economy, which is currently hindered by severe climate shocks. Inflation has soared beyond 27 percent, and data from the NGO Centre for Social Concern indicates that the cost of living in one of the world’s poorest nations has increased by 75 percent in the past year.
These elections are the first in Malawi since the 2019 presidential vote was annulled and subsequently redone in 2020 following widespread irregularities. The outcome will underscore the political landscape as the nation seeks stability amid pressing economic challenges.
