Police in Malawi have arrested eight people for alleged electoral fraud as the country waits for the final results of Tuesday's general election.
Inspector General Merlyne Yolamu stated that the suspects, employed as data entry clerks, were attempting to manipulate election figures.
The elections follow a backdrop of controversy from Malawi's 2019 elections, where the Supreme Court annulled then-President Peter Mutharika's victory, citing widespread irregularities.
The electoral commission is currently on high alert for any misconduct, and preliminary results indicate Mutharika is leading the election, with incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in second place.
Further results from Malawi's 36 districts are anticipated by Saturday, as a candidate requires more than 50% of the vote to secure victory, otherwise, a run-off will ensue.
In the interim, Chakwera's Malawi Congress Party has lodged a formal complaint with the electoral commission over alleged discrepancies in the counting process, although specific details of these inconsistencies have not been disclosed.
The electoral commission plans to announce the final results only after all votes have been fully counted and verified to prevent any contestation.
By law, the commission has until the end of Wednesday to publish the final tallies. During the 2019 elections, reports of tampering included the use of correction fluid on results sheets, leading to severe mistrust in the electoral process.
Chakwera, 70, previously won a re-election by a significant margin, while Mutharika, 85, seeks to reclaim his presidential position amid an economic crisis characterized by fuel shortages and rampant inflation.
Malawi now faces an official inflation rate approaching 30%, further complicating the electoral landscape as politicians and citizens alike navigate this challenging context.
