From the pulpit to Malawi's State House

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 Lazarous Chakwera

Its  official, Tonse Alliance led by Malawi Congress Party president Lazarous Chakwera and his running mate Saulos Chilima are the new Government. Its official, Chakwera is moving from the pulpit to the State House

On Saturday night, 27th June, 2019 Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Chifundo Kachale flanked by his six Commissioners announced official results for Tuesday's Fresh Presidential election to a pensive nation that had been agitating for change for a year.

Chakwera who led a nine-party charge secured an overwhelming, resounding and reverberating victory over the incumbent Peter Mutharika after amassing  2,604,043 ( 58.57 percent) way above Mutharika's 1,751,377 and third placed Peter Kuwani's 32,456.

Tonse Alliance supporters
Tonse Alliance supporter celebrate. Photo by Chisomo Ngulube

The win secured Chakwera the requisite 50 percent plus one votes as stipulated by the law.

In the main tally centre at the College of Medicine Sports Complex in Blantyre,  packed with journalists, observers, members of the diplomatic Corps, the Tonse Alliance bench erupted into song and dance just after Kachale announced the results.

They had endured sleepless nights to await an official announcement despite it having been clear that their candidate had carried the day by Wednesday morning.

Accepting the results, the Tonse Alliance's Moses Kunkuyu said: "Malawians have resoundingly given the alliance the mandate to govern this country for the next five years.

"Malawians have at last reclaimed their destiny, it's time to deliver on our promises." 

Speaking at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre earlier, Mutharika described the election as the worst ever, but urged Malawians to accept the results.

Chakwera amassed the most votes in the Central and Northern regions of Malawi. He also secured an unprecedented number of votes from the city of Blantyre while Mutharika consolidated his stangle-hold of the South and Eastern Regions but faced strong rejection from people of the Central and Northern regions.

Analyst Humphrey Mvula said in an interview that Mutharika lost the election the moment he decided to align himself with people of his tribe and run what he described as a tribal cabal.

About 64.81 percent of the 6,859,570 registered voters turned out to cast their ballots.

Meanwhile celebrations have have gone full throttle in Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Zomba and Blantyre.


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