- Malawian general election, 2004
-
Malawi
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Malawi- President
- Vice President
- Cabinet
- National Assembly
- Speaker
- Political parties
- Elections: 2004, 2009
- Regions
- Districts
- Foreign relations
General elections was held in Malawi on 20 May 2004 to elect a President and the National Assembly. The election had originally been scheduled for 18 May but was postponed for two days in response to opposition complaints of irregularities in the voter roll.[1] By 22 May no results had been announced, leading to protests from the opposition and threats of disorder. On 25 May the Malawi Electoral Commission finally announced the results of the election. Bingu wa Mutharika, the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front, was declared the winner of the presidential poll, whilst the Malawi Congress Party had won most seats in the National Assembly vote. Voter turnout was around 62%.[2]
Contents
Candidates
There were five candidates for the presidential election;
- Gwanda Chakuamba, aged 69, was the candidate of a seven-party opposition coalition, the Mgwirizano Coalition or Unity Coalition. Chakuamba has a colourful past, having been a senior minister and militia commander under former President-for-life Hastings Banda. In 1980 he fell out with Banda, whose assassination he was accused of plotting. He spent 12 years in prison and emerged a popular hero, then succeeded Banda as leader of his party, the Malawi Congress Party.
- Justin Malewezi, Vice-President of Malawi under Bakili Muluzi, stood as the candidate of the People's Progressive Movement, having been passed over by the ruling party.
- Brown Mpinganjira, aged 55, was the candidate of the National Democratic Alliance, a breakaway group from the ruling party.
- John Tembo, aged 72, was the candidate of the Malawi Congress Party.
- Bingu wa Mutharika, a 70-year-old economist and veteran politician who was the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front, although he had previously run for president under the United Party banner.He was supported by the outgoing president, Bakili Muluzi.
Results
Presidential election
Candidate Party Votes % Bingu wa Mutharika United Democratic Front 1,119,738 35.9 John Tembo Malawi Congress Party 846,457 27.1 Gwanda Chakuamba Mgwirizano Coalition 802,386 25.7 Brown Mpinganjira National Democratic Alliance 272,172 8.7 Justin Malewezi People's Progressive Movement 78,892 2.5 Invalid/blank votes 86,218 - Total 3,205,863 100 Source: EISA National Assembly election
Party Votes % Seats Malawi Congress Party 785,671 24.85 57 United Democratic Front 801,200 25.34 49 Independents 766,137 24.23 40 Republican Party ¹ 231,002 7.31 15 National Democratic Alliance 256,713 8.12 9 Alliance for Democracy 114,017 3.61 6 People's Progressive Movement ¹ 98,548 3.12 6 Movement for Genuine Democratic Change ¹ 53,127 1.68 3 People's Transformation Party ¹ 21,153 0.67 1 Congress for National Unity 7,410 0.23 1 Others 26,609 0.84 0 Total 3,161,587 100 187 Source: EISA ¹ These parties formed the Mgwirizano Coalition, which also included the Malawi Forum for Unity and Development, the National Unity Party and the Malawi Democratic Party.
References
- ^ Special report on general elections IRIN, 19 May 2004
- ^ Malawi: 2004 Presidential election results EISA
Elections and referendums in Malawi
Presidential elections Parliamentary elections Referendums Categories:- Elections in Malawi
- 2004 elections in Africa
- 2004 in Malawi
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