1st LD: Peter Mutharika wins Malawi's presidential election

LILONGWE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has won the presidential election with 56.8 percent of the vote, securing a decisive lead over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, the country's electoral commission announced Wednesday.

The president-elect, contesting on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket, secured nearly 3.04 million votes in the 17-candidate race on Sept. 16, while Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party garnered around 1.77 million votes, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja announced at a press briefing in Lilongwe, the capital.

The 85-year-old Mutharika obtained 56.8 percent of the valid votes cast, surpassing the 50-percent-plus-one threshold required for an outright victory, while Chakwera, 70, trailed with 33 percent of ballots, according to the MEC.

Mutharika, who served as president from 2014 to 2020, will return to office with former MEC Chairperson Jane Ansah as his vice president. Enditem