President Peter Mutharika is establishing a lead over his closest poll rivals with 1,436,877 ballots, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chair Jane Ansah announced in Blantyre on Thursday.
Ansah made the announcement after counting 75 percent of the votes in Malawi’s contentious
tripartite elections during a press briefing held at COMESA Hall before journalists, local and international elections observers in Blantyre.
Mutharika’s rival from the opposition Malawi Congress Party’s Lazarus Chakwera, is a close second with 1,257,853 votes.
Nestled in third position according to the unfinished counting is United Transformation Movement’s Saulos Chilima, who has earned 651,124 ballots, with the United Democratic Front’s Atupele Muluzi far behind in a distant fourth with 161,499 votes.
While the journey has not been entirely smooth, Ansah said all problems encountered so far have been dealt with satisfactorily and others are still receiving due attention.
Among the international observers are the African Union Elections Observer mission led by former Ghanaian leader John Mahama and his retired counterpart from South Africa Thabo Mbeki.
Mbeki is leading the Commonwealth Elections Observer Mission in the exercise which began on
Tuesday and is expected to end within eight days.
Meanwhile the counting continues.
NM/as/APA