Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

The results are slowly trickling in now. It is expected that all things remaining equal, about 30% of the results of Malawi's fourth democratic elections will be announced by midday. Unconfirmed results show that the incumbent is gaining some ground, with the DPP MPs making a good show. But a clearer picture will only emerge as the day progresses.

This far, it has all been peaceful.

Yet its still a volatile situation. Should the trend continue like this,
the predictions for a close race will be off the mark, and the alliance (UDF
MCP) will find it hard to swallow. On the other hand, should the tide change, especially once the central region vote begins to flow in, and if the MCP/UDF catches up, or starts to out run the incumbent, the DPP will find it difficult to take. So it remains critical and tense either way.

The other presidential candidates in these elections were never really contenders for the prize. Most if not all of them will not even become MPs in their own constituencies.

It appears that the smaller parties are finding the going very tough.
Its becoming more and more unlikely that PETRA, RP, PPM and AFORD will have any significant show - they may come out with no MP.

Turn out, at least to the voting centres that we visited, in
Lilongwe and parts of the South, the turnout was very good, in most cases overwhelming.

It appears that this election will record an improved turn out. I will be hitting the road again now, going lower south towards the southern tip Malawi where the counting process is continuing.