Malawi police arrest eight for alleged election fraud

Reuters A woman in a head-scarf and patterned yellow wrap places a vote in a ballot box. The box is on a dusty field at an outdoor polling station - a crowd of people waiting to vote can be seen in the background. — Malawians voted in presidential, parliamentary and local elections on Tuesday

Police in Malawi have arrested eight people for alleged electoral fraud as the country waits for the final results of Tuesday’s general election.

Inspector General Merlyne Yolamu said the suspects, who were working as data entry clerks, had been trying to manipulate the figures.

Malawi’s 2019 election was marred by controversy when the highest court annulled then President Peter Mutharika’s victory, citing widespread irregularities.

As a result, Malawi’s electoral commission is on high alert for any potential issues. Official tallies, so far, suggest Mutharika is leading the race for the presidency with incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in second place.

More results from Malawi’s 36 districts are expected to be released on Saturday – a candidate needs to win more than 50% of the vote, or a run-off is held.

In the meantime, Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party said it had lodged a complaint with the electoral commission, claiming to have discovered irregularities in the count.

Officials did not specify what those irregularities were.

The commission is expected to announce the outcome of the election only after all votes have been tallied and verified in order to avoid the possibility of the final result being challenged.

According to law, the electoral commission has until the end of Wednesday to announce the final tallies.

In 2019, when Mutharika’s victory was annulled, a court said there had been widespread tampering, including the use of Tipp-Ex correction fluid on results sheets.

Lazarus Chakwera (L) and Peter Mutharika (R) are long-standing political rivals

AFP via Getty Images A split picture shows Lazarus Chakwera (who wears glasses and a suit) and Peter Mutharika (who wears a colourful, patterened shirt and a cap emblazoned with name of his party - DPP). — Lazarus Chakwera (L) and Peter Mutharika (R) are long-standing political rivals

Chakwera, 70, won the re-run by a wide margin, propelling him to the presidency.

Mutharika, 85, is hoping to regain office in what would be a dramatic political comeback.

Malawians also voted in parliamentary and local elections following a campaign dominated by the worsening economic crisis that has seen a severe shortage of fuel and foreign currency.

The official inflation rate is close to 30%, with a frozen chicken in a supermarket in the capital, Lilongwe, costing about $20 (£15), in a nation where most people live on $2 a day or less.