Lilongwe: The head of Malawi’s electoral commission has issued a warning to political parties against prematurely declaring victory in the recent elections, emphasizing the need to wait for the official announcement of results. This advisory comes in the wake of both major presidential candidates, incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika, claiming victory following Tuesday’s poll.
According to Voice of Nigeria, Annabel Mtalimanja, the head of the electoral commission, reiterated at a press conference that only the commission has the authority to release the official election results. Despite the fact that nearly all votes have been counted, the commission has yet to make any announcements, as they are ensuring that all votes are tallied and verified to prevent any disputes over the final outcome.
The electoral commission’s mandate stipulates that a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright; otherwise, a run-off election will be conducted. The backdrop to this year’s election is the controversial 2019 election, where then-President Mutharika’s victory was annulled by the highest court due to widespread irregularities. This led to a re-run in which Chakwera, now 70, emerged victorious by a significant margin and assumed the presidency.
As the 85-year-old Mutharika seeks a return to office, a potential comeback that would be remarkable in the country’s political landscape, Malawians also participated in parliamentary and local elections alongside the presidential poll.