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Malawi is holding an election with sky-high inflation and rising food prices at the forefront of voters’ concerns. Voting experienced some early delays due to issues with biometric fingerprint readers, which forced some polling stations to switch to manual identification.
In addition to the presidency, Malawians are also voting for members of parliament and local councillors. The main contest is between incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and former president Peter Mutharika, though 15 other candidates are also in the running. Analysts predict a close race, and a run-off will be held if no one wins more than 50% of the vote.
Voters cited the struggling economy and the high cost of living as their primary motivators for voting. Economic challenges have been exacerbated by a devastating cyclone and a regional drought, which have severely impacted crops. Inflation has remained above 20% for over three years.
Both main parties have faced public disillusionment due to corruption scandals. Chakwera came to power on an anti-corruption platform but has been criticised for being slow and selective in his prosecution of cases.
This is not the first time Chakwera and Mutharika have faced each other; a previous election in 2019 was annulled due to irregularities, leading to a re-run that Chakwera won in 2020.
