Malawi: Bingu wins, to be inaugurated today

  1. Posted on Friday 22 May 2009 - 08:50
    Sam Banda Junior
    Image of Sam Banda Junior
    Sam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
    Malawi's Electoral Commission officially declared Bingu Wa Mutharika as the country's president having won in Tuesday's presidential elections. The chairperson Anastanzia Msosa said Mutharika had 2, 730, 630 and his strongest contender John Tembo of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) got 1, 270, 057 votes.
    malawean_president
    The other presidential candidates were James Nyondo who got 25, 171 votes, Dindi Gowa Nyasulu 19, 024 votes, Kamuzu Chibambo 31, 960 votes, Stanley Masauli 31,303 votes and Loveness Gondwe 29, 705 votes.

    Msosa declared Mutharika after only 93.2 percent of the vote count however, she said that the remaining votes which were yet to be counted would not change anything.

    “I Justice Anastanzia Msosa with the powers vested on me as Electoral Commission chairperson declares Bingu Wa Mutharika as the winner of the 2009 presidential elections,” said Msosa.

    She said the electoral body announced the results after analysing all the votes including complaints from all the parties.

    Msosa then called on the other leaders to accept the results and avoid violence saying in any election there was only one winner.

    The announcement came barely a few hours after Tembo and his MCP party who entered into an alliance with United Democratic Front (UDF) of ex-leader Bakili Muluzi had accused Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of rigging the elections.

    Ex-leader Muluzi who was dwelt a big blow by the electoral body who ruled that he was not eligible to stand, congratulated Mutharika for the win even before the official results.

    Other presidential candidates Nyondo and Masauli also conceded defeat and wished Mutharika all the best.

    Mutharika retains the seat of the president having ruled for five years since his appointed in 2004.

    During the five years he has won the hearts of many people in the country including donors for his prudent leadership.

    Meanwhile the president elect is expected to be inaugurated later on Friday.

    It is reported that about seven heads of state will attend the ceremony in the country’s commercial city of Blantyre. Zambia’s President Rupiah Banda and Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe arrived on Thursday.

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