What to know about Malawi's elections as an economic crisis grips the country

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BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Malawi holds elections Tuesday to choose a president, lawmakers and local government councillors, the first national vote since a 2019 presidential election was nullified and redone a year later because of widespread irregularities.

What to know as residents of the southern African country, grappling with fuel shortages and a cost-of-living crisis, cast their votes.

This election features the same two main candidates that faced off in the fraudulent 2019 vote. Then-incumbent Peter Mutharika won that election against the closest challenger, Lazarus Chakwera, only for a court to invalidate Mutharika's win and order a rerun following months of street protests. Chakwera won a new election held more than a year later in 2020.

It was only the second time in Africa that a court had ordered a presidential election to be re-held and the first time it resulted in the removal of the incumbent.

Chakwera is now the president and Mutharika his strongest challenger.

The Malawi Electoral Commission is under heavy scrutiny to ensure a free and fair election this time. Mutharika has stoked controversy by choosing the former head of the electoral commission — who was fiercely criticized for the failed 2019 vote — as his running mate this year.

Chakwera is a 70-year-old former theology instructor and preacher who is seeking a second five-year term as an economic crisis grips Malawi, one of Africa's poorer and least developed countries.

Mutharika is 85 years old and has a long history in Malawian politics, having served in the Cabinet during the time his older brother, Bingu wa Mutharika, was president from 2004-2012. Peter Mutharika then served as president from 2014-2020. He is now taking another shot at the leadership despite a court finding evidence of fraud in his 2019 victory, including correctional fluid used to change vote tally sheets.

There are 17 candidates in total standing for president, including Joyce Banda, who was Malawi's leader from 2012-2014, between the Mutharika brothers. She was Bingu wa Mutharika’s vice president and finished his term after his death.

Malawi's agriculture-based economy is in deep trouble, partly because of a series of climate shocks like cyclones and drought. Inflation has risen from around 8% to 27% during Chakwera's term. Everyday food items like the staple corn are unaffordable for many in the landlocked country of around 21 million people, wedged between Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.

A critical shortage of fuel has also meant that queues at gas stations, a part of life now, may be longer than the queues at ballot stations on election day.

The election will be held on one day and the results must be announced within a week of polls closing. Malawians will vote for president, the makeup of the 229-seat Parliament, known as the National Assembly, and for more than 500 local government councillors.

Malawi changed its electoral law after the 2020 election, and this vote will be decided by the 50%+1 format — meaning the winner needs to get more than 50% of the vote.

Analysts see a strong likelihood that no one will get a majority in the first round of voting, forcing a likely runoff and yet another vote pitting Chakwera and Mutharika against each other.

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