Polls opened in Malawi on Tuesday morning and voters have been casting their ballots following the annulment of the 2019 presidential poll results. 

 

This election differs from last year's vote in that winner now needs to secure an absolute majority of 50% plus one vote, instead of being a first-past-post the system. 

 

The vote pits incumbent President Peter Mutharika against Lazarus Chakwera, who has the support of an opposition coalition, including the Malawi Congress Party and the United Transformation Movement. A third hopeful is little-known Peter Kuwani of the Mbakuwaku Movement for Development.

 

In May 2019, Mutharika thought he was the victor by a slim margin when he gained 38.6% of the vote ahead of Chakwera with 35% and Vice President Saulos Chilima with 20%.

 

However, Malawi's Constitutional Court annulled those results in February 2020, ruling that the 2019 vote showed "grave," "widespread" and "systematic" irregularities. This included tally sheets being daubed with correction fluid.

 

The court ordered a new vote to take place within 150 days. 

 

 

Malawians hope the new vote will bring change to the country of 18 million people, which is holding the election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has officially recorded 592 cases of coronavirus and eight deaths, as of the morning of June 19. 

 

Malawi is struggling to fight poverty and corruption. It ranks 123 out of 189 on the Corruption Perceptions Index and 172 on the Human Development Index which analyzes inequality.