His return as president highlights the country’s deep political divides, rooted in regional loyalties
However, a high court judge said the president and his Malawi Congress Party can proceed with a judicial review of alleged irregularities
Victory very unlikely for the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera
The country’s high-stakes vote has been plagued by allegations of cheating, rivalry and arrests, leading to a demand for transparency
As it counts ballots from its general election, new tech and legions of observers collide with old problems: public mistrust and the ghost of a nullified vote
Despite there being 17 candidates, the poll was dominated by incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and former president Peter Mutharika
This is the first presidential race since the Constitutional Court annulled the 2019 results
COMMENT: Opposition candidates and party can increase their chances of success at the polls by putting aside minor differences and presenting a united front
Lazarus Chakwera’s ascent to the presidency was made possible by the nine-party Tonse Alliance, which included Mutharika’s former deputy, Saulus Chilima, as his running mate
The opposition presidential candidate won the vote by 20 percentage points, after last year’s poll was overturned because of irregularities
Reiterating an already historical court ruling, the president’s election has once again been rebuffed
The electoral commission’s decision to appoint expensive foreign advocates has been widely criticised
Widespread and increasingly violent protests have left the government in limbo