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Elections in Malawi
 
Political Profile
Political System: Democracy
President: Bingu wa Mutharika (DPP) [since 24 May 2004; elected 2004] The President is elected by popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: First Past The Post. Note: President Mutharika, who ran as the United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate in the 2004 election, resigned from the party on 5 February 2005. Soon after, he announced his intention to form a new political party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The party was officially launched in March 2005.
National Assembly [unicameral] (193 Seats) Members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. Electoral System: First Past The Post.
Political Situation since Independence
1964-1966 [De-Facto] One Party State
1966-1993 One Party State (MCP)
1993-1994 Multiparty Transition
1994-        Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 4, Civil Liberties - 4, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: May 2009
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: May 2009
Political Parties: AFORD - Alliance for Democracy (progressive, centrist), CONU - Congress for National Unity, DPP - Democratic Progressive Party, MAFUNDE - Malawi Forum for Unity and Development, MCP - Malawi Congress Party (authoritarian, conservative), MDP - Malawi Democratic Party, MGODE - Movement for Genuine Democracy, NDA - National Democratic Alliance, NUP - National Unity Party, PETRA - People's Transformation Movement, PPM - People’s Progressive Movement, RP - Republican Party, UDF - United Democratic Front (center-left), UP - United Party
Coalitions: Malawi Congress Party-Alliance for Democracy (MCP-AFORD) [Contested 1999 presidential election]; Mgwirizano Coalition [Contested 2004 Presidential & National Assembly Election] Member Parties include the Republican Party (RP), Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE), People's Transformation Movement (PETRA), National Unity Party (NUP), Malawi Democratic Party (MDP), People's Progressive Movement (PPM), and the Movement for Genuine Democracy (MGODE).
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential: 1994, 1999, 2004
Legislative
     Single Party: 1964, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1992
     Multiparty: 1961, 1994, 1999, 2004
Referendum: 1993
 
 
August 1961 Legislative Council Election
Registered Voters  N/A
Total Votes        N/A [Voter Turnout: N/A]

Party

Number of Seats (53)

Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

50

Seats Reserved for Whites

03

 
April 1964 National Assembly Election
All the candidates of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) were returned unopposed and without actual voting.
 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

29 June 1978 National Assembly Election (87 Seats)

29-30 June 1983 National Assembly Election (101 Seats)

27-28 May 1987 National Assembly Election (112 Seats)

26-27 June 1992 National Assembly Election (141 Seats)

Note: Prime Minister Hastings Kamuzu Banda was unanimously elected president by the National Assembly on 6 July 1966 when Malawi became a republic. The National Assembly declared Banda president-for-life on 6 July 1971.
 
14 June 1993 Referendum [Results by Region & District]
Main Points: Introduction of a multiparty system or maintain the single party system
Registered Voters   4,699,527
Total Votes         3,153,448 [Voter Turnout: 67.1%]
Invalid/Blank Votes    70,979
Total Valid Votes   3,082,469

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Multiparty System

1,993,996

64.69%

Single Party System

1,088,473

35.31%

 
17 May 1994 Presidential Election [Results by Region & District]
Registered Voters   3,775,256
Total Votes         3,041,373 [Voter Turnout: 80.6%]
Invalid/Blank Votes    61,780
Total Valid Votes   2,979,593

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Bakili Muluzi (UDF)

1,404,754

47.15%

Hastings Kamuzu Banda (MCP)

996,353

33.44%

Chakufwa Chihana (AFORD)

562,862

18.89%

Kampelo Kalua (MDP)

15,624

0.52%

 
17 May 1994 National Assembly Election
Registered Voters  3,775,256
Total Votes              N/A [Voter Turnout: 80.0%]

Party

Number of Seats (177)*

United Democratic Front (UDF)

84

Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

55

Alliance for Democracy (AFORD)

36

*Results in 2 constituencies were invalidated
 
15 June 1999 Presidential Election [Results by Region & District]
Registered Voters   5,071,822
Total Votes         4,755,422 [Voter Turnout: 93.8%]
Invalid/Blank Votes    91,671
Total Valid Votes   4,663,751

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Bakili Muluzi (UDF)

2,442,685

52.4%

Gwanda Chakuamba (MCP) [MCP-AFORD]

2,106,790

45.2%

Kamlepo Kalua (MDP)

67,856

1.4%

Daniel Nkhumbwe (CONU)

24,347

0.5%

Bingu wa Mutharika (UP)

22,073

0.5%

 
15 June 1999 National Assembly Election [Seats Won by Region]
Registered Voters   5,071,822
Total Votes         4,680,262 [Voter Turnout: 92.3%]
Invalid/Blank Votes   191,357
Total Valid Votes   4,488,905

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (192)

United Democratic Front (UDF)

2,122,532

47.3%

93

Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

1,518,044

33.8%

66

Alliance for Democracy (AFORD)

474,054

10.6%

29

Independents

374,275

8.3%

04

 
20 May 2004 Presidential Election
Registered Voters   5,742,747
Total Votes               N/A [Voter Turnout: N/A]
Invalid/Blank Votes       N/A
Total Valid Votes   3,119,645

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Bingu wa Mutharika (UDF)

1,119,738

35.9%

John Tembo (MCP)

846,457

27.1%

Gwanda Chakuamba (RP) [Mgwirizano Coalition]

802,386

25.7%

Brown Mpinganjira (NDA)

272,172

8.7%

Justin Malewezi (Independent)

78,892

2.5%

 
20 May 2004 National Assembly Election
Registered Voters  5,742,747
Total Votes              N/A [Voter Turnout: N/A]

Party/Coalition

Number of Seats (193)

Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

59

United Democratic Front (UDF)

49

Mgwirizano Coalition

27

Independents

38

Others

14

Undecided

06