Malawi: Opposition raises red flag

  1. Posted on Wednesday 20 May 2009 - 14:29
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    Madalitso Kateta, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi
    Malawi's main opposition led by John Zenasi Ungapake Tembo on Wednesday rejected election results in the country's central province - its stronghold - saying there had been several irregularities during vote counting. The Malawi Congress Party has called for counting of ballots to be halted.
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    So far the Malawi Electoral Commission has confirmed 0.51 percent of the presidential results that puts President Mutharika in a comfortable lead with 8818 votes while his main contender Tembo is trailing with 3121 votes.

    Tuesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections have been described as peaceful, free and fair.

    Two presidential contestants - James Nyondo and Stanley Masauli – have already conceded defeat. In a letter to Justice Anastazia Msosa, the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Masauli accepted that he has lost the election and has since announced that he would work with Mutharika who is the hopeful contender in the elections.

    Justice Msosa said the election results were coming at a slow pace as there were some minor miscalculations at some centres. She however commended the Commission Staff for a job well done.

    Meanwhile, provisional results indicate that Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is having an early lead in the parliamentary elections race. The Malawi Civil Society Groups have since said Mutharika’s early lead indicates that the electorates were frustrated with the way Parliamentarians carried business in the last parliament.

    Malawi Watch Executive Director Jimmy Banda said in an interview that the election results were a lesson to politicians whom he said had been taking the populace on a 'ride'.

    The atmosphere in Blantyre is currently very calm with many Malawians very excited that Mutharika is leading in the elections.

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