Final results of 224 constituencies that Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declared last night show that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has secured 77 seats, but falls short of a dominant majority in the 229-member Parliament.
The results of the parliamentary race in the September 16 General Election indicate that independents trail DPP at 71 seats followed by the immediate-past governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) with 53 seats.
UTM Party won eight seats, People’s Party (PP) and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) three seats each while Freedom Party (FP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and People’s Development Party (PDP) secured one seat each.
From the results, which exclude five constituencies, DPP has fallen short of the 115 seats needed for a simple majority.
This could mean that President-elect Peter Mutharika’s administration will rely on partnerships to advance its legislative agenda.
MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja, who announced the results around midnight at the National Tally Centre at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, said the commission had met the 14-day legal deadline after reviewing and resolving all disputes.
“The parliamentary elections were free and fair and the results are a true reflection of the will of the people,” she declared.
Mtalimanja, who is a judge of the High Court of Malawi, further said in line with electoral law, the commission reviewed void votes in several constituencies where their total could affect outcomes. The constituencies included Mzimba South East, Nkhata Bay Central, Mchinji South West, Salima South and Lilongwe Msinja North.
She said while the process corrected results in some areas, the case of Lilongwe City Bwaila was different in that irregular handling of void votes by the returning officer constituted serious misconduct, making it impossible to determine a clear winner.
As a result, she said, the election there has been nullified, with a by-election to be held at a later date.
Mtalimanja also reported that all complaints lodged during polling and tallying were reviewed and determined, with outcomes recorded in the Malawi Government Gazette, the official publication of the government.
She said aggrieved parties still have the right to file petitions in the High Court within seven days, but reaffirmed the commission stood by its results.
Constituents in Blantyre West, Dedza Mtakakata, Lilongwe Mtandire-Mtsiriza and Nkhotakota Liwaladzi will have to wait until MEC sets dates for by-elections to choose their representatives.
Commenting on the results, Political Science Association spokesperson Mavuto Bamusi said the elections were competently handled by MEC, aided by State security, civil society and party agents.
He commended the Malawi Defence Force for safeguarding ballot distribution and polling day security, adding that strong observer presence enhanced transparency.
On the outcome, Bamusi noted that DPP’s slight numerical advantage gives it room to push legislation aligned with its manifesto, but warned the lack of a working majority could be problematic if MCP mobilises other opposition parties.
Rights and governance advocate Robert Mkwezalamba said MEC’s use of election management devices alongside manual checks eased public anxiety, as many results were known even before official announcements.
Meanwhile, attention now shifts to the local government elections, whose results must be declared within 21 days of polling. MEC has indicated these will be released within the next seven days.
