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Moment of truth

Vote_illustrationRegistered Malawian voters go to the polls today in the country’s first-ever tripartite elections to give mandate to a president, 193 members of Parliament (MPs) and 462 ward councillors to govern the affairs of the State for the next five years.

In the race to the country’s Plot Number One at State House, the 7.4 million registered voters will choose from a field of record 12 presidential hopefuls, including incumbent President Joyce Banda leading the People’s Party (PP).

Banda, who ascended to the presidency on April 7 2012 in line with constitutional order after the death of former president Bingu wa Mutharika, is facing strong challenges from Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Peter Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and youthful Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front (UDF).

Besides the quartet of Banda, Chakwera, Atupele and Mutharika, rated as “hot contenders” by analysts, eight other hopefuls for the presidency are Davies Katsonga of Chipani Cha Pfuko (CCP), George Nnensa who is leading the Tisintha Alliance, Kamuzu Chibambo of the People’s Transformation Party (Petra), John Chisi of Umodzi Party (UP), Friday Jumbe of New Labour Party (NLP), Mark Katsonga Phiri of People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), James Nyondo of National Salvation Front (Nasaf) and Helen Singh of United Independent Party (UIP).

In the previous election in 2009, there were seven presidential candidates

This is Malawi’s fifth post single-party general elections after the first one held in 1994, the second in 1999 followed by the 2004 polls and then the 2009 elections.

There are 1 292 candidates comprising 1 033 males and 259 females contesting for seats in the 193-member National Assembly.

On the other hand, 2 398 are fighting for 462 wards across the country for the second time since the dawn of plural politics through the 1993 National Referendum. Among the aspiring ward councillors are 1 981 males and 417 females.

The contestants are going into today’s election after the legally regulated 60-day campaign period that ended at 6am on Sunday which Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson Maxon Mbendera described as “a successful and peaceful campaign.”

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