Vote counting is under way in Malawi after a closely watched presidential election, held as the country faces its worst economic crisis in decades. Seventeen candidates were on the ballot, but the contest is widely seen as a two-horse race between incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika.
The two rivals have faced each other before with Mutharika wining in 2014, while Chakwera triumphed in 2020 after a rerun of a vote annulled for irregularities. Turnout was lower this year, with the electoral commission reporting 51 percent compared with 64 percent in the last election.
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Chakwera, a former pastor, has campaigned on fixing the economy and restoring trust in government. Mutharika, a former law professor, has highlighted his record on infrastructure but faced criticism over corruption scandals during his time in office. Former President Joyce Banda was among other contenders, but analysts say none has broken the dominance of the two frontrunners.
Malawi’s 21 million people are struggling with inflation above 27 percent, foreign currency shortages, and fuel disruptions. The country has also been hit hard by climate disasters, including Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which killed more than 1,200 people.
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