2009 Malawian general election

General elections were held in Malawi on 19 May 2009. Incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika ran for re-election; his main opponent was John Tembo, the president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Five other candidates also ran.[1] The election was won by Mutharika, who was re-elected to the Presidency with around two-thirds of the vote.[2] Mutharika's DPP also won a strong parliamentary majority.[3]

2009 Malawian general election

19 May 2009 (2009-05-19)
Presidential election
 
Nominee Bingu wa Mutharika John Tembo
Party DPP MCP
Running mate Joyce Banda Brown Mpinganjira
Popular vote 2,963,820 1,365,672
Percentage 66.17% 30.49%

President before election

Bingu wa Mutharika
DPP

President

Bingu wa Mutharika
DPP

Electoral system

Voter registration started in August 2008 and was scheduled to end on 29 November 2008, but on 20 November (by which time 3.5 million voters had been registered) it was announced that registration would be extended into December. This extension was caused by problems related to digital cameras that were necessary to the process.[4]

Between 2 February and 6 February, presidential and parliamentary candidates submitted their nomination papers.[5] The official campaigning period began on 17 March and is scheduled to conclude on 17 May. Parliament was dissolved on 20 March, in accordance with the constitution,[6] and subsequently the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC)will announce which candidates have been deemed eligible.[7]

Campaign

On 22 October 2008, Hetherwick Ntaba, the Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), announced that the DPP national governing council had unanimously endorsed Mutharika as the party's presidential candidate a few days earlier.[8] However, Foreign Minister Joyce Banda said on 16 January 2009 that Mutharika felt the endorsement of the council was inadequate and that he wanted the endorsement of the party's base. Therefore, he sought the backing of the delegates at a DPP convention.[9] Later, as the DPP presidential candidate, Mutharika chose Banda as his vice-presidential candidate.[10]

Bakili Muluzi, who was designated as the UDF's (United Democratic Front) presidential candidate, previously served two terms as president from 1994 to 2004. According to the constitution, a president is allowed to serve no more than two consecutive five-year terms. Because Muluzi had been out of office since 2004, his supporters argued that the term limit should not apply to him, as it did not restrict nonconsecutive terms if interpreted literally.[5]

Speaking to Capital Radio on 22 February 2009, Muluzi accused the government of using intimidation against his candidacy and warned that such conduct could lead to "problems".[7] A few days later, he was charged by the Anti-Corruption Bureau with stealing 12 million dollars of aid money; he appeared before a court in Blantyre and was released on bail.[11] The Electoral Commission stated he was not eligible to run again, but his supporters are calling for an official court decision instead.[12] On 16 May, only three days before the election, the Constitutional Court ruled that Muluzi could not run again.[13]

MCP President John Tembo was considered the main opposition candidate, and the MCP formed an electoral alliance with the UDF prior to the election.[1] Tembo's vice-presidential candidate was Brown Mpinganjira of the UDF.[14] Observing that the DPP had never participated in an election (it was founded in 2005), Tembo argued that he and the MCP had the experience to govern the country properly: "I belong to the past, I belong to the present and I also belong to the future."[15]

Independent candidate James Nyondo submitted his nomination papers on 4 February and claims to have sponsored over 120 independent parliamentary candidates by paying the MK 100,000 ($700 USD) nomination fee. He is the only independent candidate in the 2009 presidential election and has campaigned on the need for a new generation of leadership, a smaller cabinet, and an end to the personal extravagance of the current and previous governments.[16][17][18]

Loveness Gondwe of the New Rainbow Coalition submitted her presidential candidacy on 3 February, becoming the first woman to run for president in Malawi. She stressed the importance of holding a free and fair election and avoiding the kind of post-election turmoil that affected Kenya and Zimbabwe in 2008.[19]

Observers expected a close election between the two strongest candidates, Mutharika and Tembo. While Tembo enjoyed the united backing of the country's two most established and powerful partiesthe MCP and the UDFhe faced an incumbent president who had presided over strong economic growth of 8%, and the outcome was considered uncertain.[15]

Mutharika, who was 75 years old at the time of the election, said that he would retire from politics if he lost the election and that he would retire in 2014 if he was successful in winning a second term.[15]

Conduct

On the day of the election, Joy Radio, which is owned by UDF Chairman Bakili Muluzi, was closed by the police after it broadcast a satire that lampooned Mutharika. Two of the station's presenters and a technician were arrested.[20] Tembo alleged that the government had committed electoral fraud with opposition poll agents being denied access to the vote counting centres. An EU observation team also noted that state television had failed to be neutral during the election campaigns, supporting the government.[21]

Results

The Malawi Electoral Commission declared that Bingu wa Mutharika had won the presidential election on 21 May 2009, after 93% of votes had been counted.[21] Mutharika gained 2.9 million votes with John Tembo, his nearest rival, winning 1.4 million.

In the National Assembly elections, the DPP won 114 seats (though the election of the vice president vacated one of those), obtaining a strong majority in the 193-seat National Assembly, while the MCP trailed distantly with 26 seats and the UDF won only 17.[3] Mutharika and the DPP won an overwhelming victory in northern Malawi, but also performed well in the central and southern regions, although those regions have been historically dominated by the MCP and UDF respectively. Some analysts suggested that this election marked a departure from Malawi's traditional voting patterns, which are heavily influenced by region.[22] Unlike Tembo, Muluzi accepted the official results of the election.[3] 32 independent MPs were elected, though many of those started joining the DPP after the election; one seat was won by the Maravi People's Party (MPP), the Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and the Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE). In one constituency, the election was postponed.[23]

President

CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Bingu wa MutharikaJoyce BandaDemocratic Progressive Party2,963,82066.17
John TemboBrown MpinganjiraMalawi Congress Party1,365,67230.49
Kamuzu Walter ChibamboStanley Alex Robert MnenulaPeople's Transformation Party35,3580.79
Stanley Edingtone MasauliSophie KuthyolaRepublican Party33,9820.76
Loveness GondweBeatrice Roseby MwaleNew Rainbow Coalition32,4320.72
James Mbowe Nyondo]Vivian Mark ThunyaniIndependent27,4600.61
Dindi Gowa NyasuluChinkhokwe Tyson BandaAlliance for Democracy20,1500.45
Total4,478,874100.00
Valid votes4,478,87497.45
Invalid/blank votes117,0282.55
Total votes4,595,902100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,871,81978.27
Source: African Elections Database

National Assembly

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Progressive Party1,739,20239.99114New
Malawi Congress Party562,85912.9426–31
United Democratic Front562,02512.9217–32
People's Progressive Movement48,3891.110–6
New Republican Party43,0090.990New
Alliance for Democracy38,4270.881–5
New Rainbow Coalition30,8470.710New
Congress of Democrats19,4320.450New
Maravi People's Party17,6090.401New
People's Transformation Party8,4980.200–1
Malawi Forum for Unity and Development6,8310.161+1
Republican Party4,1110.090–15
Malawi Democratic Party4560.0100
National Patriotic Front4380.010New
National Unity Party2840.0100
People's Popular Front1280.000New
Congress for National Unity920.000–1
Independents1,266,68129.1232–8
Vacant1
Total4,349,318100.001930
Valid votes4,349,31895.37
Invalid/blank votes211,0744.63
Total votes4,560,392100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,846,26478.01
Source: MEC

Elected MPs

A partial list of elected MPs from 156 constituencies:[24]

MPPartyConstituencyRegion
Kezzie Kasambala MsukwaINDChitipa EastNorthern
Gertrude Hendrina MasekoDPPBalaka NorthSouthern
Nicholas Harry DausiINDMwanza CentralSouthern
Paul Lackson Zakaliya ChibinguDPPMwanza WestSouthern
Felix NjawalaINDBlantyre KabulaSouthern
Jeffrey NtelemukaDPPBlantyre City South-EastSouthern
Henry MussaDPPChiradzulu EastSouthern
Margaret Roka MauwaDPPChiradzulu NorthSouthern
Eunice KazembeDPPChiradzulu SouthSouthern
George NamatumboDPPChiradzulu WestSouthern
Clement Terence ChiwayaUDFMangochi CentralSouthern
Fraser NihoryaDPPMulanje LimbuliSouthern
Stephen NamachaDPPMulanje NorthSouthern
Richie Bizwick MuheyaDPPMulanje SouthSouthern
Patricia Annie KaliatiDPPMulanje WestSouthern
Geoffrey Henock MbuziDPPNtchisi North-EastCentral
Albert G.M. Doza ThindwaDPPRumphi EastNorthern
Prof. Moses C. ChiramboDPPRumphi CentralNorthern
Austin Jatula MkandawireDPPRumphi WestNorthern
Tasokwa Caseby MsiskaDPPRumphi NorthNorthern
Olivia Anita ThunduINDLikoma IslandsNorthern
Chimunthu BandaDPPNkhotakota NorthCentral
Daniel LiwimbiDPPNkhotakota North-EastCentral
Edwin BandaINDNkhotakota CentralCentral
Cassim Chilumpha Dr.INDNkhotakota SouthCentral
Agnes Mandevu M. ChatipwaINDNkhotakota South EastCentral
Chimango Chipimpha MughoghoINDChitipa SouthNorthern
Luwi Alinuwila MsongoleDPPChitipa CentralNorthern
Aladin Nixon MaseboDPPChitipa NorthNorthern
Godfrey Mudulansi MunkhondyaINDChitipa WenyaNorthern
Vincent Winstone GhambiDPPKaronga NorthNorthern
Beatrice Kankhonde MwangondeDPPKaronga North WestNorthern
Cornelius Thomson MwalwandaINDKaronga CentralNorthern
Khwauli MsiskaAFORDKaronga NyungweNorthern
Chembe Glad MunthaliDPPKaronga SouthNorthern
Peter Nelson MwanzaDPPMzuzu CityNorthern
Goodall Edward GondweDPPMzimba NorthNorthern
Catherine Gotani HaraDPPMzimba North EastNorthern
Billy KaundaINDMzimba WestNorthern
Paul ShawaINDMzimba SouthNorthern
Donton Samuel Job MkandawireDPPMzimba CentralNorthern
Rev. Christopher S. Mzomera NgwiraNARCMzimba HoraNorthern
Dr Bofomo Immanuel NyirendaDPPMzimba LuweleziNorthern
Patrick Akimu MwanzaDPPMzimba SoloraNorthern
Abbie Marambika ShabaDPPMzimba EastNorthern
Khumbo Hastings KachaliDPPMzimba South WestNorthern
Rabson Chihaula ShabaDPPMzimba South EastNorthern
Ephraim Mganda ChiumeDPPNkhata-Bay NorthNorthern
Symon Vuwa KaundaDPPNkhata-Bay CentralNorthern
Grace ChiumiaDPPNkhata-Bay WestNorthern
David Yohane KawecheDPPNkhata-Bay North WestNorthern
David Kapenyela MphandeDPPNkhata-Bay South EastNorthern
Etta Elizabeth BandaDPPNkhata-Bay SouthNorthern
McJones Mzondi Mandala ShabaDPPKasungu NorthCentral
Grenner NkhataDPPKasungu North North-EastCentral
Otria Moyo JereDPPKasungu WestCentral
Moses Arthur Chingayipe MteghaDPPKasungu North-WestCentral
Vasco Mtunduwatha ChimbaluINDKasungu SouthCentral
Bokosi G KhambaDPPKasungu South EastCentral
Grenenger K. Msulira BandaDPPKasungu EastCentral
Ken Edward KandodoDPPKasungu CentralCentral
Eugustine Gracewell MtendereDPPKasungu North EastCentral
Victor Baudala sanjeni SongazaudzuDPPNtchisi EastCentral
Jermoth Ulemu ChilapondwaDPPNtchisi SouthCentral
Herbert Josiya BimphiDPPNtchisi NorthCentral
Bauleni Jimmy MannaDPPDowa EastCentral
Hastings Petros ChitsambaDPPDowa South-EastCentral
Leckford Thotho MwanzaDPPDowa North-EastCentral
Ewart Cara GawananiDPPDowa NgalaCentral
Jean Alfazema Nachika KalilaniDPPDowa CentralCentral
Abel KayembeINDDowa WestCentral
Benjamin ChikusaINDDowa NorthCentral
Yona KamphamtengoMCPSalima NorthCentral
Benjamini Benzani MangiraDPPSalima CentralCentral
Uladi MussaMPPSalima SouthCentral
Killiot KufunaMCPSalima South-EastCentral
Deriah KankhwaniDPPSalima North-WestCentral
Rachel Zulu MazombweINDMchinji NorthCentral
Alex ChiteteMCPMchinji North-EastCentral
Ellen Thokozani Solomoni ChisaleDPPMchinji EastCentral
Theresa Gloria MwaleDPPMchinji WestCentral
Jerome Gervazio WaluzaINDMchinji SouthCentral
Francis Leobin Mussa BandaDPPMchinji South-WestCentral
Patrick Zebron ChilondolaMCPDedza NorthCentral
Sosten GwengweMCPDedza CentralCentral
Clement Claude MlombwaMCPDedza South-WestCentral
Wodala Alekeni MenyaniMCPDedza North-WestCentral
Hyacinta Palingana ChikaondaDPPDedza EastCentral
Phllipo ChinkhondoMCPDedza WestCentral
McSteyn Swithin MkombaMCPDedza Central-EastCentral
John Zenas Ungapake TemboMCPDedza SouthCentral
Everton Herbert ChimulirenjiDPPNtcheu North-EastCentral
Stevin Stafford KamwendoDPPNtcheu Bwanje NorthCentral
Grandson Lucious KanyumbaDPPNtcheu Bwanje SouthCentral
Jones Vincent ChingolaDPPNtcheu CentralCentral
Damson ChimaliraDPPNtcheu SouthCentral
Shadreck Assan LipandeDPPNtcheu NorthCentral
Chikumbutso John HiwaDPPNtcheu WestCentral
Christina Winnie ChiwokoDPPLilongwe Mapuyu NorthCentral
Joseph NjovuyalemaMCPLilongwe Mapuyu SouthCentral
Bazilio Lunia Titus MalipaMCPLilongwe NorthCentral
Vitus Gonamtunda Dzoole MwaleMCPLilongwe Msozi SouthCentral
Godfrey KamanyaINDLilongwe Msozi NorthCentral
Maureen Katani BondoMCPLilongwe KumachengaCentral
Lefani Maxwell ThyoleraMCPLilongwe North-EastCentral
Edwin BhagwanjiDPPLilongwe City WestCentral
Joyce A. BandaINDLilongwe Mpenu NkhomaCentral
Makala Watson NgozoMCPLilongwe MpenuCentral
Gwengwe Alfred WillardMCPLilongwe South EastCentral
Ezakiel Peter Ching'omaMCPLilongwe EastCentral
Shadreck JonasiDPPLilongwe City CentralCentral
Lobin LoweMCPLilongwe CentralCentral
Ishmail Fillimon ChafukiraMCPLilongwe North-WestCentral
Jolly Saweta Dyson KaleloINDLilongwe City NorthCentral
Jean Muonaowuza SendezaMCPLilongwe South WestCentral
Agnes Nandau PenumlunguDPPLilongwe City South EastCentral
Wells John AdamDPPLilongwe City South WestCentral
Peter Stanley Patisi ChaleraMCPLilongwe Msinja NorthCentral
Lingson Kambewa W. BelekanyamaMCPLilongwe Msinja SouthCentral
Patson Kachingwe MthyokaMCPLilongwe SouthCentral
Yaumi Aufi MpaweniUDFBalaka Central EastSouthern
Nasrin PillaneDPPBalaka WestSouthern
George NnensaMafundeBalaka SouthSouthern
Ibrahim Imed MatolaUDFMangochi NorthSouthern
Alfred Mkwanda MwechumuUDFMangochi North-EastSouthern
Hassan Ailalie AjingaUDFMangochi MalombeSouthern
Abukakar MbayaUDFMangochi EastSouthern
Yusuf Billiati MatumulaINDMangochi SouthSouthern
Asibu ShamilUDFMangochi South WestSouthern
Mahmudu John LaliUDFMangochi NkunguluSouthern
Stephen Okoma Atani AipiraINDMangochi WestSouthern
Ralph Pachalo JoomaDPPMangochi Monkey BaySouthern
Makumba Abdallah ShabaniINDMangochi LutendeSouthern
Moffat Malisie YakitiUDFMangochi MasongolaSouthern
Atupele MuluziUDFMachinga North-EastSouthern
Shaibu KaliatiUDFMachinga CentralSouthern
Ernest YahayaUDFMachinga Central EastSouthern
Kenneth Thomas KamuUDFMachinga EastSouthern
Harry Fabiano KambaUDFMachinga SouthSouthern
Mwalone JangiyaUDFMachinga LikwenuSouthern
Rev. Wilson NdomondoUDFMachinga South EastSouthern
Jenipher Deborah ChilungaDPPZomba NsondoleSouthern
Annie Lemani Singani AnambeweDPPZomba ThondweSouthern
Lonie Phiri Chijere ChirwaDPPZomba ChingaleSouthern
Grace Zinenani MasekoDPPZomba ChangalumeSouthern
Enock Elias LukaDPPZomba LisanjalaSouthern
Joyce BandaDPPZomba MalosaSouthern
Ted Salule MasangwiDPPZomba NtonyaSouthern
Yunus MussaDPPZomba CentralSouthern
MacRonald John Table KhwepeyaINDZomba LikangalaSouthern
Peter Chizalo MangulenjeINDZomba ChisiSouthern
Reen Bessie KachereDPPNeno SouthSouthern
Gladys Benson TemboDPPNeno NorthSouthern

Aftermath

Mutharika and Joyce Banda were respectively sworn in as president and vice-president on 22 May 2009. The MCP boycotted the event, but Muluzi was present.[25] Some in the MCP called for the party to recognize Mutharika's victory and for Tembo to resign as MCP president. Tembo refused and vowed to legally challenge the results.[26]

References

  1. "Malawi president accuses donors of meddling in polls", AFP, 8 May 2009.
  2. "Malawi president wins re-election". Associated Press / Google. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  3. "Malawi vote gives president control", Sapa-AP (IOL), 25 May 2009.
  4. "Malawi to extend voter registration", AFP (IOL), 21 November 2008.
  5. "Constitutional crisis on Malawi candidates" Archived 2010-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, Nyasa Times (The Zimbabwean), 19 February 2009.
  6. "Malawi paves way for poll", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 20 March 2009.
  7. "Malawi's former president complains of 'intimidation'", AFP, 22 February 2009.
  8. "DPP endorses Mutharika", AFP (IOL), 22 October 2008.
  9. "Malawi leader seeks assurances from his party", AFP (IOL), 16 January 2009.
  10. "Women are ready to stand in Malawi poll", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 17 May 2009.
  11. "Malawi ex-president charged with graft", AFP, 26 February 2009.
  12. "Malawi ex-leader fights poll ban". BBC News. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  13. "Malawi court dismiss ex-president's bid for office", AFP, 16 May 2009.
  14. Raphael Tenthani, "John Tembo: Poised for power?", BBC News, 14 May 2009.
  15. Raphael Tenthani, "Malawians go to polls Tuesday in closest-ever polls" Archived 2009-05-20 at the Wayback Machine, Pana, 17 May 2009.
  16. "Fire deputy ministers says Nyondo" Archived 2009-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Times, 10 February 2009
  17. "Nyondo slams Bingu over flashy hummers" Archived 2009-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Times, 10 February 2009
  18. "Bingu Blasts Nyondo" Archived 2009-04-24 at the Wayback Machine, 20 April 2009
  19. "First Malawi woman seeks to run for president", AFP, 3 February 2009.
  20. "Malawi: "Joy Radio" station closed by police" Archived 2009-05-28 at the Wayback Machine, Afrik.com, 20 May 2009.
  21. "Malawi president wins re-election". BBC. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  22. Felix Mponda, "Malawi vote marks new era: analysts", AFP, 21 May 2009.
  23. "Malawi's new parliament sworn in". People's Daily Online. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  24. "Malawi Election 2009 Results". African Elections Project. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  25. "Mutharika starts second term as Malawi president", AFP, 22 May 2009.
  26. "Malawi opposition leader refuses to step down" Archived 2009-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, Radio Netherlands, 24 May 2009.
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