Malawians await presidential result as votes counted amid soaring inflation and fuel shortages
Counting began after polls closed in most parts of the country; incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and former president Peter Mutharika are the leading contenders
Counting has begun in Malawi after voting closed in most parts of the country, as citizens waited to learn who will lead a nation grappling with runaway inflation, fuel shortages and power outages.
Electoral officials said voting proceeded largely smoothly at more than 15,000 polling stations, though some centres experienced delays and a few areas were still finishing voting after late starts. Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja said about 3.7 million people — roughly half of registered voters — had cast ballots a few hours before polls closed. Polling in the presidential, parliamentary and local council elections closed at 14:00 GMT and counting started immediately.
The contest is effectively a two-horse race between incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, who sought a second term, and 85-year-old former president Peter Mutharika, whom Chakwera defeated in 2020. Fifteen other candidates, including former president Joyce Banda, were also on the ballot. Under Malawian law, if no presidential candidate wins more than half the votes, the top two vote-getters will go to a runoff. The electoral commission has until the end of 24 September to declare the presidential result and until 30 September to finalise parliamentary results.
Economic concerns dominated the campaign and the mood at polling stations. Malawi has seen food costs rise by more than 30% over the past year, a surge officials partly attribute to a shortage of foreign currency in the banking system. Nationwide power cuts and recurring fuel shortages have added to public frustration. As voters queued at polling stations, separate long lines of motorists waited outside petrol stations amid the shortages.
"There is anger in us. I want to change this government. I want young people to be in good jobs," said Ettah Nyasulu, a 28-year-old waitress, before voting. Rachel Chaguza, a 26-year-old university graduate who sells flowers, said she was concerned about forex shortages and unemployment and called for scrutiny of what is going wrong.
President Chakwera, 70, voted in his home village of Malembo, about 56 kilometres northeast of the capital Lilongwe, where he stood in line alongside other residents. Security personnel, including police and military guards, accompanied him.
Electoral officials reported some technical difficulties. Reuters and other news outlets cited delays at several stations caused by problems with biometric fingerprint readers. The electoral commission acknowledged "queueing challenges" at "one or two centres" but said the issues were managed. Provisions were made for voters unable to write; some used an inked fingerprint to mark their ballot while others used a pen to indicate their choice. Ahead of voting, the commission reminded social media users that photographing or livestreaming one’s ballot is prohibited.
Results are expected to be released in stages as tallies from polling stations are transmitted to collation centres. Observers and political parties will monitor the process, and any candidate contesting the outcome may pursue legal challenges under Malawi’s electoral framework. In the meantime, many Malawians said they voted in hopes of economic relief and job creation as the country faces persistent shortages and a high cost of living.