Malawi Re-run Election: Chakwera Sworn in as Sixth President After Historic Court-overturned Vote in Africa

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

Leadership changed hands in Malawi as the country swore in Lazarus Chakwera as the sixth President of the country for a five-year tenure on Sunday.

Chakwera became the beneficiary of the first ever court overturned presidential vote in the African continent.

He unseated former president Peter Mutharika in a re-run election. Malawi held election in May 2019, where Mutharika was retuned but the result was voided by court. Chakwera, aged 65, won 58.57% of votes cast at Tuesday’s election.

Observers say the repeat served as a test of the ability of courts in Africa to fight electoral fraud and checkmate presidential power.

“To stand before you as president today is an honour. It’s an honour that fills with unspeakable joy and immense gratitude,” Chakwera said in his acceptance speech.

“With your help, we will restore a new generation’s faith in the possibility of having a government that serves, not a government that rules,” he told a cheering crowd dressed in the colours of his own Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the allied party of Vice President Saulos Chilima.

Chakwera’s victory brings back to power Malawi’s pioneer party after 26 years of paying opposition politics.

The overturn of the polls in February by the court denied Mutharika a second term in office to his dismay. The judiciary referenced irregularities for the decision and ordered a re-run which was conducted on Tuesday. There were protests in Malawi for months owing to the controversial return of Mutharika.

On Saturday, Mutharika had alleged voting irregularities including violence and intimidation against his party’s election monitors, but electoral commission dismissed his concerns.

Critics had accused Mutharika of doing little to tackle corruption.

President of the Economic Association of Malawi, Lauryn Nyasulu said, “Curbing corruption is crucial now more than ever.”

“The government needs to seal all loopholes and use whatever resources available in efforts to rebuild the economy and safeguard the welfare of those that have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Source: CGTN Africa

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

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