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Malawi 2009 Election Results: Pres. Bingu wa Mutharika Re-Elected
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by Jarrett Martineau | May 21, 2009 at 07:52 am
7327 views | 10 Recommendations | 7 comments
UPDATE | May 21, 2009 — Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika has won the country's presidential election, according to latest reports.
According to Malawi's electoral commission, Mr. Mutharika has been re-elected to a second term in office as President.
Mutharika, who is president of the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party), will be inaugurated on Friday.
The commission said that he had won 2.7 million votes, with his nearest rival John Tembo winning 1.2 million.
Mr Tembo has alleged that there was election fraud.
The new president is due to be inaugurated on Friday, and several regional leaders are already in Malawi to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Almost 6 million people turned out to vote in Malawi's general elections on Tuesday, however, the presidential race until today had been "too close to call".
UPDATE | May 21, 2009 — Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika and his party are leading in results from Malawi's recent general elections, however, rival candidate John Tembo, president of the opposition Malawi Congress Party, has cried foul and vowed to contest the outcome in court.
An early lead in vote counting by President wa Mutharika and his party continues to widen. But the news angered opposition leader John Tembo of the Malawi Congress Party, who said there had been widespread fraud. Tembo, a presidential candidate, told a media conference he will contest the outcome in court.
UPDATE | May 20, 2009 — Votes are currently being counted with official election results due to be announced on Thursday.
Officials and observers have both "expressed satisfaction" over the elections, which were conducted peacefully and with high voter turn-out.
Election officials in Malawi have begun counting the vote from Tuesday's elections. The vote is being praised by observers as orderly and marked by few irregularities.
Election observers from Malawi and abroad Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the presidential and parliamentary elections saying they were peaceful and marked by high voter turn-out.
The head of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa, Denis Kadima, said Tuesday's polling was a vast improvement over elections five years ago which were marred by violence and irregularities.
The race for the country's presidency is a dead heat between the incumbent, Bingu wa Mutharika, who took office as the President of Malawi in May 2004, and his opponent, John Tembo, president of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Announcement of Official Results are expected to start after midnight Malawi time. Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commision said this during a briefing moments ago at the National Results Centre in Blantyre.
Justice Anastasia Msosa advised that it is only her organisation that can release results which people can count on. "We know there are radio stations that have already started announcing some results, but please disregard that," she warned.
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NowPublic will be updating this story as results are announced.
Seven candidates are vying for the top job but it is being viewed as a two-horse race between incumbent Bingu Wa Mutharika and his opponent, John Tembo.
The southern African country is also electing a new parliament.
Mr Tembo is backed by ex-President Bakili Muluzi, whose attempt to run for a third term was blocked by the courts.
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Background on Mutharika's presidency:
President Bingu wa Mutharika is running for a second term in office. During his term in office, Malawi enjoyed strong economic growth. The agricultural sector grew considerably due to subsidies for artificial fertilizer. However, most Malawians live in extreme poverty and the country is home to a million victims of AIDS. Critics say the president is not interested in the welfare of the poor. Of the other presidential candidates, opposition leader John Tembo is said to stand the most chance of winning the election. None of the parties is expected to win an overall majority in the parliamentary election.
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Jarrett Martineau
Vancouver, Canada
Malawi Elections 2009
Malawi
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
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pmlxuserat 00:30 on May 21st, 2009
As of midnight 20th May, Munthalika and his DPP had registered a massive land slide victory in the Northern region in most of the unofficial results. In district previously thought as John Tembos' MCP stronghold like Kasungu and Mchinji for a change muthalika was seen to be leading and his party getting most of the parliamentary seat. out of the 9 seat in Kasungu the DPP in unofficial final results got 8 of the seats while 1 seat went to an indipendent candidate.
As of today morning most of the Daily papers (The Nation and the Daily Times) had indicated that it was a landslide victory for Munthalika and all that remained was for the Malawi Electral commission to ooficially anlounce Munthalika and His running Mate Joyce banda as victors.
This years election seems to indicate that most of the regional baundaries for political parties have been broken with a mssive thumbing of the DPPS candidates in almost all the regions. And there have been some substancial number of heavy Politician calsualties with some of UDF most prominent member loosing out their seat notably UDF chairmans son Atupele Muluzi, whose father was in the lead on the UDF and MCP coalition in trying to oust Muthalika from the presidence (which most people believed had a personal vandetta than the Nations development in mind).
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adrian mtambo (not verified)at 01:44 on May 22nd, 2009
malawi is now democratically growing. in the past there was that life of regionalism and tribalism. now people have changed and their focus is on development. so bingu is the man who did it and people are confident enough that he will finish his term with good development.
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Pax Majiya (not verified)at 03:13 on May 22nd, 2009
Congratulations to the president elect.The plans of God are always fulfilled if you are determined in asking Him what you want.The wants of Bingu are not for personal gains but for the nation.One might ask why is he able to build an expensive house and driving posh cars?The answer is so simple .The Bible crearly states that "you will reap where you sow!"
He is first cititzen who has the objective of achieving the most needed support for the rulal masses.Lets pray hard that God should continue guiding him and he should not derail in the future.May God Bless Him abundantly.He should embrace Malawi as one nation forgeting about the regional boarders.His cabinet should comprise people who are able to deliver not passengers.Those ministers that will perform let them carry the day.The none performers should see the exit door without delay to avoid misuse of public funds.May the Good Lord Guide Him and Bless Him Abundantly.AMEN!
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madalitso ziwaoh (not verified)at 12:45 on May 22nd, 2009
Complimenti Dr Bingu. Io sono molto contento che hai vinto di nuovo ad essere il presidente di malawi. Se fossi in malawi potrei votare per te. DIO ti benedica e ti prottega sempre.AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Compliments Dr Bingu. I am so much happy for your victory once again, to keep on ruling malawi. If I were in malawi, I could vote for you. May GOD bless and protect you always.AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Nankhoma (not verified)at 00:35 on May 23rd, 2009
Dr Mutharika!
Congratulations!!!mat God give you abundant blessings as you rule Malawi. You are an inspiration. You have transformed Malawi. When I visited Malawi last year I was appalled by the developments you have achieved in few years. Don't not be discouraged by non-brainers and dedwoods who are full of jealous and failed to achieve anything in the past. Tembo and Muluzi-Shame on you to fight a decent, educated man who is for the poulation of Malawi and not to steal the little Malawians have.
God Bless you Dr Mutharika. We are indeed proud of you Sir
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kachichichi (not verified)at 07:36 on May 25th, 2009
Yes not everly one can be chosen as a President. One person at atime. Tembo is old to be elected as president and worse still khalidwe lake ndiloipa. Just immagine there are many young people in MCP who stand for the party but they are not able to because he is selfish. He want that all good things should go to him. Let me tell you the truth even if you sait to stand as a presidential candidate in 2014 you will not be elected. Give that post to young people who can run the party properly.
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Violet Tsamwa (not verified)at 04:03 on May 26th, 2009
The world is so wonderful! It does not like impurities. It distills and maintains the achievers. Bingu deserves that. For a short period of time he has shown the potential to turn Malawi as an achievable Nation. The financial support that he gets from donors is always put into use to his people by providing the social structures and it is our hope that the spirit that he has will continue in the next five years to come. Develop the country Bingu, we are behind you.