Polls open in Malawi's election as economic crisis grips country

It's the first national vote since a 2019 presidential election was nullified and redone a year later because of widespread irregularities. The election features the same two main candidates that faced off in the 2019 vote - Lazarus Chakwera and Peter Mutharika

Polls opened in Malawi on Tuesday to choose a president, lawmakers and local government councillors.

It's the first national vote since a 2019 presidential election was nullified and redone a year later because of widespread irregularities.

The election features the same two main candidates that faced off in the 2019 vote.

Then-incumbent Peter Mutharika won that election against the closest challenger, Lazarus Chakwera, only for a court to invalidate Mutharika's win and order a re-run following months of street protests.

Chakwera won a new election held more than a year later in 2020.

It was only the second time in Africa that a court had ordered a presidential election to be re-held and the first time it resulted in the removal of the incumbent.

Chakwera is now the president and Mutharika his strongest challenger.

The Malawi Electoral Commission is under heavy scrutiny to ensure a free and fair election this time. Mutharika has stoked controversy by choosing the former head of the electoral commission — who was fiercely criticized for the failed 2019 vote — as his running mate this year.

The election will be held on one day and the results must be announced within a week of polls closing.

Malawians will vote for their president, the makeup of the 229-seat Parliament, known as the National Assembly, and for more than 500 local government councillors.

Malawi changed its electoral law after the 2020 election, and this vote will be decided by the 50%+1 format — meaning the winner needs to get more than 50% of the vote.

Analysts see a strong likelihood that no one will get a majority in the first round of voting, forcing a likely runoff and yet another vote pitting Chakwera and Mutharika against each other.