Malawi counts votes after tightly contested presidential election

Malawi began counting votes Tuesday in a presidential election that's expected to be a tight race between old rivals that could go to a runoff.

Voters faced a choice between giving President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, a second term or selecting another leader to solve the southern African nation’s soaring inflation, cost-of-living crisis and critical fuel shortages.

Among the 16 other candidates, former President Peter Mutharika, 85, is viewed as a strong challenger to return as leader.

The two rivals faced off in 2019, when Mutharika's victory as the incumbent over challenger Chakwera was nullified by a court because of widespread irregularities. Chakwera won an historic rerun of that vote in 2020.

While Chakwera’s election was greeted with an outpouring of public support, the national mood has changed after five hard years for a largely rural country that already had high levels of poverty.

Polls closed in Tuesday's one-day vote and tallying began by late afternoon, according to election officials. By law the results must be announced within a week. Voters will also choose the makeup of Parliament and more than 500 local government representatives.

Another former president, Joyce Banda, is also running for the top position as is Vice President Michael Usi, but analysts see it as a two-horse race between Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party and Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party.

“The cost of living is high, and with that many problems have increased,” said Patrick Holeya, a 48-year-old father of six from Thyolo.

Holeya said he cast a vote for Mutharika in the former president’s home district.

“I hope my vote will lead to caring leadership. For too long politicians have snubbed us, but today we are the kingmakers,” he said.