MALAWIANS HEAD TO POLLS AMID ECONOMIC TURMOIL
President Lazarus Chakwera seeks re-election as voters grapple with inflation, fuel shortages and food insecurity.
Malawians voted on Tuesday in presidential, parliamentary and local elections overshadowed by one of the country’s worst economic crises in decades.
Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, is seeking a second term but faces stiff competition from his predecessor, Peter Mutharika, 85, of the Democratic Progressive Party. Seventeen candidates are on the ballot, though analysts see the contest as a two-horse race.
The vote comes as Malawi battles inflation above 25%, severe fuel shortages, and widespread food insecurity. Natural disasters, including Cyclone Freddy in 2023 and a prolonged drought in 2024 have crippled agriculture, the backbone of the economy.
Under new electoral rules, a presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, raising the prospect of a second round if no clear majority emerges.
Observers say turnout will be a key test of confidence in the political system, with many young Malawians disillusioned by persistent hardship.
By: Itoro Etukudo
Source: AP News
