I don't agree with the expression that the election in Malawi is flawed on basis of "unashamed" bias of State-controlled media. You should have been there when the same opposition denied to fund the State-controlled media. How come then do you expect services from an institution that you have denied funding? It beats me?

I can now see why Bob said the election was free and fair, with all the rigging going on, it speaks for itself.

I dont know what the SADC minimum requirements s for elections are but this election was certainly not flawed. The best observers in this election are malawians themselves and if you ask them, a majority will say the elections were conducted in a free,transparent and fair manner.How can somebody just come from Ghana two months before the election date and say the state media was blantatly biased against the opposition without even considering the political tradition and situation of malawi?. Mugabe must be laughing hahahaaaaa at this headline?

This is the most flawed election malawi has ever had since 1994. The State media favoured the ruling party who also campaigned using government resources. How can people make good choice in such situation. I strongly feel the oppositon have been robbed because everybody pays tax regardless to the party you may belong.

I totally agree with international obsevers who monitored this election.

I'm from the north of Malawi where we have voted for the ruling party just because of food and not development as such as the DPP has done nothing for us in the past 5 years.

@Dingase- the last time I checked the central and southern parts of Malawi did not have 50 floor skyscrapers, 4 lane highways, shopping malls with D&G, etc. If you don't have food how do you expect to develop?

I categorically do not agree with the above article. As a Malawian who has seen our young democracy grow to this effect and who did not find any reason to vote until May 2009 have seen that the 2009 elections were the most well organised and peaceful elections, rather FREE and FAIR. While I would agree that the state owned media was biased to the government, we cannot conclude that the elections were FLAWED because of the media. The opposition as well had JOY RADIO which never spoke anything good about Mutharika and his government. It is sad that the observer were so much glued to the state media. In fact even the state media, there were reasons for it to be pro-Mutharika. The Parliament for the past TWO Budget sessions, TVM and MBC have been given MK1, equivalent to US$0.005896 respectively. This has happened in two respective years. Therefore, the so called state owned media did not benefit from our taxes. They had their own initiatives. I am strongly very sure that Bingu's party, DPP, was responsible for payment of coverage. Apart from that,they also had other initiatives, like selling of CDs etc. Just as I can pay to be covered in any event I would want, the opposition had the same opportunity to do the same. Like I have said, the media had only US$0.005896 in a year's budget. So they needed money from the corporate world, including parties. So, my take is that the opposition missed the opportunity to be covered equally right from the budget approval through to their failure to pay TVM and MBC to cover their rallies. I think this should be a lesson to the opposition. So Verna Rainers and John Allen, can you please write your article correctly. Probably you should first ask us the Malawians, especially the electorate, on how we have perceived the entire electoral process. We can give you better information than just making unnecessary conclussion. our young democracy has removed the tendency of voting on regional lines. At least this is what you could have written about. Do not always see negative. That is not good judgement. I personnally hated Malawi politics and I did not vote in 1999 and 2004 because it looked very obvious and was not so fascinating. Electorate voted for parties that belonged to their regions. I personally hated that because they were not objective. But the 2009 elections has seen people voting for a candidate because they are convinced that he/she can deliver. Finally, I want to congratulate Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika for winning with a landslide in a FREE and FAIR election conducted on 19th May 2009. I would also like to commend leaders of the opposition parties who include the former president, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, the indipendent president James Nyondo,Aford president, Republican party president and Kamuzu Chibambo for coceiding defeat. Malawi has taught Africa that elections are competition. At the end of the day, we belong to the same country. we therefore need to work together after the elections to develop our country together. I thank God for helping our your democracy to show maturity. Long live Malawi and Long Live Democracy!!!!!

YOU THINK YOU HAVE FOUND A GOOD THINK THROUGH CHEATING, RECEIVE MY SYMPATHY MY GOOD FRIENDS.... BECAUSE DEMOCRACY THAT U WANTED WILL SLIP AWAY SOON,,IF THEY CAN SYSTEMATICALLY CHEAT LIKE THIS,, THINK ABOUT STATE RESOURCES

WE REALLY THANK GOD FOR THE OVERWHELMING VICTORY OF OUR LOVELY PRESIDENT BINGU WA MUTHARIKA. GOD HAS REALLY ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS. BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS ALL OVER MALAWI JOINED HANDS PRAYING FOR THE VICTORY OF OUR PRESIDENT. WE THANK GOD FOR ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS.BINGU WOYEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

WILLIAMS.THUMBA LILONGWE

ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT ELECT WILL BE INAUGRATED TODAY AT THE KAMUZU STADIUM. THE OPPOSITION LEADER JOHN TEMBO WROTE A LETTER TO MALAWI ELECTROL COMMISSION'S CHAIR,COMPLAINING THAT THERE WERE SOME IRREGULALITIES FROM THE SIDE OF THE WINNING PARTY DURING THE ELECTIONS IN WHICH HE SAID SHOWS THAT THERE WERE SOME KIND OF RIGING. IN HIS LETTER TEMBO TOLD THE CHAIR NOT TO ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS UNTIL THE COMMISSION ATTENDS TO HIS COMPLAINTS.

WE ARE YET TO SEE WHAT STEP THE OPPOSITION LEADER WILL TAKE FROM NOW.

WYTM FROM LILONGWE.

congratulations DR BINGU WAMUTHALIKA for showing them that the people of malawi loves u pliz mr president keep on doing the good job for the country long live NGWAZI DR BINGU INU NDINUDI MOSE WA LERO