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NewsDay

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Malawi president-elect Mutharika takes office today in Blantyre

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Malawi’s electoral commission (MEC) chief, Dr. Jane Ansah has called upon stakeholders including political parties to refrain from announcing premature results, days after a High Court ordered that further announcement of results be halted

Malawi’s electoral commission (MEC) chief, Dr. Jane Ansah has called upon stakeholders including political parties to refrain from announcing premature results, days after a High Court ordered that further announcement of results be halted..

Citizens went to the polls on Tuesday, May 21, casting their votes to elect a president, members of parliament and local government councillors.

President Peter Mutharika is seeking a second term, and is being challenged by his deputy, Saulos Chilima, and the leader of the country’s biggest opposition party, Lazarus Chakwera.

In this article, we provide updates from the time polls opened on Tuesday morning, to the time official results will be announced, which Ansah said will be within 8 days.

  • Swearing in slated for today
  • A close look at the court injunction
  • Election too close to call: commission
  • Incumbent overtakes opposition
  • Opposition warns against rigging
  • Results collation ongoing across the country
  • Commission warns against premature results
  • Voting closes, counting underway
  • Election anomalies registered
  • Main candidates profiles, and where they cast their votes
  • Electoral commission explains Chilima’s delayed voting
  • Malawi’s election in numbers Chilima’s 40-minute wait to cast his vote
  • Election observers project high voter turnout
  • Malawians share voting experience online
  • Polls open
  • Why this is a high-stakes election

The privately-owned Nation newspaper in Malawi has reported that the swearing-in of president-elect Peter Arthur Mutharika is expected to take place today in the city of Blantyre, specifically the Kamuzu Stadium.

Mutharika was declared winner of the May 21 presidential poll on Monday after a court vacated an injunction placed on the Malawi Electoral Commission, MEC.

The two main opposition candidates had lodged judicial complaints of electoral irregularities over the weekend.

Mutharika secured a slim margin of victory over opposition chief Lazarus Chakwera. The final records indicated that he got 1,940,709 (38.57%) with Chakwera getting 1,781,740 (35.41%). Former VP Saulos Chilima came in thrid with 1,107,369 (20.24%).

May 25: Opposition protest and Lilongwe High Court injunction

The elections body, MEC, is currently under a High Court order that bars it from further announcing results of the presidential elections of May 21. The main opposition Malawi Congress Party, MCP, filed the application alleging irregularities.

Here are main points we know so far from the current state of affairs:

MEC late last week halted announcing of results in order to resolve 147 complaints raised by some of the parties. MCP went to court after noticing what it claimed were irregularities in results from 10 of the country’s 28 districts. The Lilongwe High Court’s order read in part: “the announcement of presidential results is stayed until the results … are verified through a transparent recounting of the ballot papers in the presence of representatives of political parties which contested the elections.” Aspirant and Vice President Saulos Chilima also called for results to be annulled over ‘serious anomalies’ reported during vote counting. “These serious irregularities have, in fact, worsened and, in the process, the credibility and integrity of these elections have been significantly compromised,” he told a news conference. At the time the result collation was halted: 75% of results were officially declared with incumbent president Peter Mutharika leading with 40.9%. His closest challenger Lazarus Chakwera of the MCP had 35.44% while VP Chilima managed 18%. FULL STORY – Malawi’s High Court orders vote recount

What MEC boss Jane Ansah told the press at last press briefing on Sunday:

I would to urge political leaders to ask their followers to maintain peace and to be patient. There was no single Malawian auditing firm that applied for the election auditing job.

We’re not under pressure to release results from anybody or party. The only pressure we have is to meet the deadlines. I’m not aware that there are preparations for swearing-in ceremony.

We will wait for court determination on the matter. Whatever the court tells us is what we’ll do.

I will be satisfied with what I have done. When your conscience is clear, you don’t look over your shoulder. I worked as Attorney General and left (have) not (been) looking over my shoulders. When all this is done, I’ll pat myself on the shoulder for a job well done.

Tense wait for election results

Malawi’s electoral commission (MEC) has told the media that the presidential election is too close to call, and for that reason, results cannot be updated until 147 complaints received by the commission have been resolved.

‘‘The commission will not update the results because the announcing is linked to the complaints received,’‘ Dr. Jane Ansah, MEC chief said.

The commision said complaints had been received by all political parties, and they had been briefed on how the commission is resolving them.

‘‘The political parties have appreciated and agreed on the need for the commission to have sufficient time to address and resolve the complaints received,’‘ she said.

The last results update given on Thursday showed president Mutharika leading with 40% of the votes cast, while Lazarus Chakwera of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was second with 35%.

Earlier, supporters of the opposition MCP gathered outside the national tally center, celebrating what they believe will be a victory declared by the electoral commission, according to local media.

Local media also reported a heavy deployment of security agencies at the tally center, ahead of the declaration of presidential results.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:African Union Election Observation Mission to the 2019 Tripartite Elections in the Republic of Malawi

Incumbent overtakes opposition candidate with 30% of vote count left

The Malawi Electoral Commission, MEC, as at midday Thursday said it had so far received 75.81% of all results from polling stations.

So far: Incumbent president Peter Mutharika (DPP) had 1,436,877 (40.49%). Lazarus Chakwera (MCP) polled 1,257,853 (35.44%) with vice-president Saulos Chilima (UTM) having 651,124 (19.35%).

Collation restarted 10:00 local time after it was suspended on Wednesday evening. At the time the main opposition candidate Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party, MCP, was in the lead with 30% of vote count.

Opposition leader warns against rigging

Malawi’s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday warned against attempts to rig the country’s election, claiming he was clearly leading in results so far tallied.

Early official results showed President Peter Mutharika and Chakwera were equal on about 37 percent of the vote with about one-third of polling centres counted after Tuesday’s election.

“So far the message is clear, we know that we have a tremendous lead,” he told a news conference at his house in Blantyre.

“No one is going to rig this election. Justice is going to prevail.”

Chakwera said his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was conducting its own count, even though local observers earlier declared the election largely free and fair.

“Those in power, I know you, you’re trying to tamper with elections,” Chakwera said, who came a narrow second in the 2014 election.

“I warn you, you will soon face the long arm of the law”.

Chakwera has campaigned on an anti-graft platform and has been credited with reviving the MCP.

Two months ago, he secured the high-profile support of former president Joyce Banda.

Main opposition candidate in slight lead

The main opposition candidate in Malawi has taken a slight lead as the elections body continues collating and announcing results from Tuesday’s election – specifically with the presidential race.

The elections body had as at Wednesday morning officially declared 35.67% of results putting Lazarus Chakwera in the lead with 533,217 (37.65%) whiles his closest contender and incumbent Peter Arthur Mutharika came a close second with 524,247 (37.01%).

In a distant third place is Saulos Chilima, Mutharika’s estranged vice who formed a breakaway party to contest for the top seat. He had garnered 293,978 (20.76%).

Given that Malawi operates a first past the post system, whoever comes top irrespective of the percentage will be declared winner.

Analysts hold that its early days yet as results are awaited from other parts of the country, only then can firm projections be made as to a likely winner of the presidential race.

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With results received so far: 1,748 out of 5,002 centres:

Lazarus Chakwera (MCP): 533,217 (37.65%) Saulos Chilima (UTM): 293,978 (20.76%) Peter Mutharika (DPP): 524,247 (37.01%) Atupele Muluzi (UDF): 48,766 (3.44%

Meanwhile elections chief Jane Ansah has stressed the need for parties to desist from announcing unofficial results. “Political leaders shouldn’t overstep commission’s authority.

“The mandate to announce results remains solely with MEC. The commission has managed to deliver peaceful and fair elections & is even capable of delivering credible results,” she is quoted to have said.

Commission warns against premature results

Malawi’s electoral commission on Wednesday addressed journalists, election observers and political party agents on Wednesday morning, warning against trusting the authenticity of results published on social media.

Commission chief Dr. Jane Ansah reassured the nation that a backup plan had been put in place to deal with any technical hitches that might be encountered, as the country uses the electronic system of tallying results, for the first time.

‘‘The first result was received at midnight but have received only partial results from polling centers. Results have been slow because we’re experiencing some problem in result transmission.’‘

‘‘Security at all centres is very high. Anyone trying to tamper with results transmission I caution them to refrain. Both the police defense force are on high alert,’‘ Dr. Ansah added.

Under the electronic tallying system, results are canned and sent to the national tallying centre in Blantyre, using specially designed forms that have several security features. The commission also has auditors who will confirm figures before they are released and displayed on giant screens at the national tally center.

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