Malawi votes amid economic downturn and leadership discontent

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BLANTYRE (Reuters) -Malawi heads to the polls on Tuesday in an election pitting President Lazarus Chakwera against his predecessor Peter Mutharika, with sky-high inflation and fuel shortages likely to be at the top of voters’ minds.

Another 15 candidates including former president Joyce Banda are also contesting the presidency, but analysts expect a two-horse race between Chakwera, 70, and Mutharika, 85. If no one secures over 50% of the vote, there will be a second round.

Malawi has faced economic stagnation since former pastor Chakwera was elected in 2020, with a devastating cyclone and a regional drought wiping out crops and worsening hardship. Inflation has been over 20% for more than three years.

Corruption scandals have contributed to disillusionment with both major parties. Chakwera came to office accusing Mutharika’s former government of rampant corruption, but his administration’s handling of cases has been criticised as selective and slow.

The country of around 22 million people will also vote for members of parliament and local councillors on Tuesday.

“We’re dealing with an election where the people are so tired and so uninspired… I think a big question is, are they going to bother to vote?” said Louw Nel, Senior Political Analyst at Oxford Economics Africa.

Either Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party or Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party will likely form a coalition with smaller parties to obtain a majority in parliament, he said.

The two main candidates have already faced off three times, with a dramatic turn in the last election when the Constitutional Court annulled Mutharika’s 2019 victory due to irregularities and ordered a rerun which Chakwera won in 2020.

Polls open at 0600 local time (0400 GMT) and close ten hours later. Results are usually released within a week.

(Reporting by Frank Phiri and Siyanda Mthethwa; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Christina Fincher)