African Elections Project (Accra)
Richard Chirombo
21 May 2009
Foreign observers have hailed Malawi's presidential and parliamentary elections held Tuesday, but have fallen short of declaring them free and fair as results continue to trickle in from various parts of the country.
The observers have, however, said the elections were held in a transparent manner and hailed voter turn out, which they have since described as pace-setting for other African countries.
In announcements released this morning, regional and international observers to Malawi's May19 elections indicate that the electoral process was not marred by many challenges, and have refused to describe challenges that threatened to affect the process as 'irregularities' because, they say, the Electoral Commission was able to resolve all of them albeit belatedly at times.
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) head of election observer team, Otema Musuka, said his mission was convinced that voters expresses their political will without intimidation and hailed the EC for for handling the elections "successfully".
Musuka's sentiments were echoed, at a separate event, by Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) mission leader, Denis Kadima, who commended Malawian voters for turning up in huge numbers. He said the elections were held under accepted international standards.
Kadima, however, bemoaned state media monopoly by ruling parties adding that, much as that may not have impaired voters judgement in making informed choices, there was need to ensure equitable political party access to the same.
The European Union Observer Mission is yet to make a statement and present their assessment of the polls, but political analysts in Malawi have largely hailed the polls as a true reflection of voters' will.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 African Elections Project. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
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
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?
See all comments (10).
Active Discussions: Electoral Body Declares Mutharika President