Malawi Poll: Buhari Congratulates Chakwera

– Promises To Work With New President for Africa’s Peace

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday congratulated Malawi’s President-Elect, Lazarus Chakwera, for emerging victorious in the country’s rerun presidential poll.

The Malawi opposition alliance leader had won the final counts five months after the first vote with 58.57 per cent of the total votes, according to that country’s electoral body.

He floored the incumbent President, Peter Mutharika, in the repeat poll held on Tuesday last week, as announced late on Saturday by the electoral commission.

In his message of congratulations, Buhari expressed the desire to work with Chakwera to promote peace in Africa.

“Greetings from the government and people of Nigeria. I congratulate you and the alliance on your impressive victory in the elections.

“I look forward to working with you for the advancement of peace, security and development of the entire continent”, his spokesman, Mr Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari on Sunday.

Recall that the incumbent had initially won the poll in May 2019.

However, last February, the country’s constitutional court annulled the election over allegations of irregularities.

A rerun was ordered, which Chekwara won amid the political animosity that threatened the stability of the small East African country.

Malawi has a population of about 17.5million, about the population of Lagos State, according to its 2018 census figures.

It is expected to climb to around 19m this year.

In his reaction to the the victory, Chakwera had described it as “a win for democracy and justice.”

He also told jubilant supporters in the capital, Lilongwe, that “my heart is bubbling with joy.”