Malawi to probe contested results, Mutharika's VP loses parliamentary bid

Malawi’s election body on Thursday night said it had received over 95% of presidential results but had still officially announced close to 76% of the tallies so far.

With the results declared so far, incumbent Peter Mutharika was in the lead with over 40% of valid votes cast against the main opposition Malawi Congress Party’s Lazarus Chakwera with 35%. Mutharika’s vice Saulos Chilima is in a distant third with 18%.

Speaking at the final press conference for the day, Malawi Elections Commission chairperson Jane Ansah disclosed that her outfit had dismissed one petition and quarantined results from another area to allow for probe. The body said the next round of results will be released midday on Friday.

MEC dismissed the petition from Goliath school for what it said was lack of merit but in the case of Lauderdale school in Mulanje, the MEC had quarantined the results to allow for investigations.

It is not known which party launched the petition and for contravention of which electoral regulation. Results for parliamentary and local level polls have also been announced along with the presidential.

A shock result in the parliamentary race indicates that vice-presidential aspirant of the incumbent had lost his parliamentary bid. Results from the Ntcheu North East consitituency showed that Everton Chimulirenji had placed third in the race.

Arthur Chipungu, an independent candidate, is said to have won the race with Joseph Malingamoyo UTM candidate coming in second. UTM is a party led by outgoing veep Saulos Chilima.