At the end of a campaign that has renewed political tensions in the country, Mr. Mutharika, 79, is facing a new opposition leader, Lazarus Chakwera, 65 years old, and a third candidate who has little chance to disturb their duel. Nearly 7 million voters malawians who are so called this Tuesday to the polls to elect their president, more than a year after the cancellation of the historic re-election of the outgoing Peter Mutharika because of massive fraud. At the conclusion of the election of may 21, 2019, the election Commission (MEC) had proclaimed the victory of the incumbent in power for 2014, with 38,57 % of the vote, against 35,41 % for his rival. But Mr Chakwera has never accepted these results, in his eyes outrageously fraudulent.
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president Peter Mutharika has had to switch back before the voters malawians. © AMOS GUMULIRA / AFP
"irregularities" confirmed in the election in 2019
Among other irregularities, he and other candidates hostile to the regime have denounced the number suspect of the minutes of counting barbouillés of white to fix it and have referred the matter to the constitutional Court. For several months, Malawi, usually so quiet, was tangué to the rhythm of the opposition protests, interspersed with violence, with the forces of law and order, and hearings before the highest court in the country. And to general surprise, his judges, were canceled in February the victory of Peter Mutharika, confirming " irregularities widespread and systematic ". In concluding on Saturday of its campaign to Rumphi (North), the outgoing urged the country to make him his victory. "We won the election in 2019, but (the opposition) brought before the justice, and stole the government ", he launched in front of thousands of supporters, " so let's vote for bringing shame to those who we have stolen ".
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Strong mobilisation of the opposition
Ally in vice-president Saulos Chilima, who has broken with the immediate past president, Lazarus Chakwera, for its part, mobilized its troops in denouncing corruption and economic bankruptcy of the regime out. "The people want change ", he summarized in an interview this week with AFP, " he sees us as the face of a new Malawi, the construction of which would be open to all ". Malawi is one of the poorest countries of the planet. According to the world Bank, more than half of its 17 million inhabitants lives under the poverty line. Many analysts have made Lazarus Chakwera their favorite. "I don't give Mutharika a strong chance of being re-elected ", predicted political scientist malawi Michael Jana, the university of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). "I just hope that the results will be sufficiently clear to avoid further disputes. "
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Promise of transparency and regularity
The new president of the MEC Chifundo Kachale has promised transparent elections. "I want to assure you of my absolute commitment and that of the whole Commission to organise an election credible, the results of which will be acceptable by all ", he said to the representatives of the candidates. The candidates have multiplied since weeks public meetings in front of thousands of supporters, but Mr. Kachale has promised that the rules of health prevention against the pandemic of novel coronavirus would be adhered to during the presidential election. According to the last balance sheet, a total of 730 cases of infection by the disease Covid-19, of which 11 were fatal, have been identified in Malawi. 5 002 polling stations in the country are open from 6 hours to 18 hours local (4 hours to 16 hours GMT). The results are expected by the end of the week.
