Malawi’s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been declared winner of the country’s rerun presidential vote.
The electoral commission announced on Saturday that he defeated incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of the vote.
Mutharika’s victory in the May 2019 election was annulled by the constitutional court citing vote tampering.
Malawi’s opposition alliance had earlier claimed victory for its candidate while incumbent President Mutharika refused to concede defeat.
Mr Chakwera said after the declaration that his victory was “a win for democracy and justice. My heart is bubbling with joy.”
Thank you, my Lord Jesus. pic.twitter.com/NZ3OUdphdX
— Dr. Lazarus Chakwera (@LAZARUSCHAKWERA) June 27, 2020
His supporters have been celebrating on the streets of the Malawian capital, Lilongwe ahead of his swearing in on Sunday.
Chakwera was backed by other opposition parties with his vice presidential candidate being Mutharika’s previous vice, Saulos Chilima.
Chilima fell out with Mutharika and run in last year’s presidential election before backing Chakwera for the re-run.
Chakwera contested and lost the 2014 presidential elections, garnering 27.8% of the votes cast against president Mutharika’s 36.4%.
Until he contested last year’s election he was the leader of opposition Malawi’s parliament, and president of of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) since 2013.
He is married to Monica Chakwera, and together, they have four children.
Source: Africafeeds.com
