Police in Malawi have arrested eight individuals for alleged electoral fraud because the nation waits for the ultimate outcomes of Tuesday’s common election.
Inspector Common Merlyne Yolamu mentioned the suspects, who had been working as information entry clerks, had been attempting to control the figures.
Malawi’s 2019 election was marred by controversy when the very best court docket annulled then President Peter Mutharika’s victory, citing widespread irregularities.
In consequence, Malawi’s electoral fee is on excessive alert for any potential points. Official tallies, thus far, recommend Mutharika is main the race for the presidency with incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in second place.
Extra outcomes from Malawi’s 36 districts are anticipated to be launched on the weekend – a candidate must win greater than 50% of the vote, or a run-off is held.
Within the meantime, Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Get together mentioned it had lodged a grievance with the electoral fee, claiming to have found irregularities within the depend.
Officers didn’t specify what these irregularities had been.
A second get together, the United Democratic Entrance, has additionally introduced that it has filed a proper grievance alleging “critical irregularities in a number of tallying centres”. Its presidential candidate, Atupele Muluzi, didn’t present proof at a press convention on Saturday, however mentioned that it had been despatched to the electoral fee.
The fee is anticipated to announce the result of the election solely in spite of everything votes have been tallied and verified as a way to keep away from the potential of the ultimate outcome being challenged.
In keeping with regulation, the electoral fee has till the tip of Wednesday to announce the ultimate tallies.
In 2019, when Mutharika’s victory was annulled, a court docket mentioned there had been widespread tampering, together with using Tipp-Ex correction fluid on outcomes sheets.
Lazarus Chakwera (L) and Peter Mutharika (R) are long-standing political rivals [AFP via Getty Images]
Chakwera, 70, received the re-run by a large margin, propelling him to the presidency.
Mutharika, 85, is hoping to regain workplace in what could be a dramatic political comeback.
Malawians additionally voted in parliamentary and native elections following a marketing campaign dominated by the worsening financial disaster that has seen a extreme scarcity of gas and overseas forex.
The official inflation price is near 30%, with a frozen hen in a grocery store within the capital, Lilongwe, costing about $20 (£15), in a nation the place most individuals reside on $2 a day or much less.
Extra BBC tales on Malawi:
[Getty Images/BBC]
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