Lilongwe, June 23 — Hundreds of thousands of Malawians turned up in polling stations across the country to vote for the next president of the country after the country’s courts annulled the results of the May 2019 election results.
Last year, Malawian courts became the second in Africa to quash the results of a presidential election and said the process was marred with ‘grave irregularities.’ The Kenyan Supreme Court annulled the county’s presidential election saying the polls were neither transparent nor verifiable.
The Malawian decision came as a surprise not least because, usually, it is unusual to have courts deciding against the ruling government and more so in Africa. Political experts and scholars have since applauded the boldness of the judges.
There were a total of 9,271 polling stations across the country expected to cater for about 6 million voters who registered for the election. By 6:30 in the morning, Vice President for the country and running mate for the opposition, Tonse Alliance, had already turned up at a polling center in Lilongwe to vote.
Saulos Chilima switched his allegiance from the incumbent to the 65-year-old leader of the opposition and former Pentecostal church leader, Lazarus Chakwera. Together, they petitioned the court which eventually led to the overturning of the results. They are running against President Peter Mutharika who teamed up with Atupele Muluzi, the son of former president Bakili Muluzi.
Although most centers registered no incidences, there have been few reported cases of people suspected of planning rigging schemes including 16 retired soldiers who were suspected of planning to disturb the voting process in the central district of Nkhotakota. They have since been arrested.
Chairman of the Malawi Electoral Commission, Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale, told the media the commission is managing everything that all Malawians who registered to vote can be able to trust their vote.
“As voting progresses, the electoral commission wishes to appeal to the nation to continue to maintain peace and calm. We’ve deployed security personnel across the country and will like to remind everyone that any breach of the rules will be sanctioned with the law. We also want to urge all citizens to refrain from taking matters into their own hand in the event that they suspect something untoward or illegal,” he said.
The election comes at a time when the country is heavily divided along political and tribal lines mostly in support of leaders from their regions. There has also been a series of protests in the pro-opposition districts after last year’s polls favored the incumbent. Whoever wins the polls—which is expected to be announced within the next 7 days—will have to gain back the trust of all the people and fight corruption which most Malawians believe is rampant in the government.