Former President Mutharika wins presidential election in Malawi

Former Malawi President Peter Mutharika has been declared the winner of the presidential elections held on the 16th, defeating the current head of state, Lazarus Chakwera, according to official results announced this Wednesday by the country's Electoral Commission.

Peter Mutharika secured 56.8% of the vote, ahead of Chakwera who secured 33%, commission chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja said at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Malawi's capital Lilongwe, adding that "the presidential elections were free and fair."

The former President, from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), will avoid a runoff election , as under the country's legislation, a candidate must obtain more than 50% of the vote to win in the first round.

Lazrus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) conceded defeat on Wednesday while the final count was still underway, saying his rival had an "insurmountable advantage" in the presidential race.

"A few minutes ago, I called Professor Mutharika to wish him luck," Chakwera said, hours before the electoral authority released the final results of the election, which will also elect parliamentarians and local officials.

The moribund economy, plagued by poverty, foreign exchange shortages and inflation, dominated the election in the country, where around 70% of the 21 million inhabitants live on less than $2.15 (around 1.82 euros) a day, according to the World Bank.

During Chakwera's tenure, costs soared in this rural, agriculture-dependent country, with inflation reaching 33% and rising prices for staple foods like corn and fertilizers.

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