This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
Malawi is set to hold a closely watched presidential re-run election on Tuesday, following the annulment of the previous vote in May 2019 due to widespread irregularities.
According to the Constitutional Court, the May 2019 election, won narrowly by President Peter Mutharika, was marred by "grave and widespread irregularities," including the use of correction fluid on results sheets.
The landmark verdict, which made Malawi the second country south of the Sahara to have presidential poll results set aside, after Kenya in 2017, ordered new elections to be held within 150 days of its February ruling.
On Tuesday, voters will head to the polls to choose between President Mutharika and his main rival, Lazarus Chakwera, who lost the May 2019 election by 159,000 votes.
Chakwera, 65, enjoys the support of nine political parties in his bid to unseat the president, and the election is expected to be a two-horse race.
A new electoral commission was appointed on June 8, with Chifundo Kachale replacing Jane Ansah as chairman, and has vowed to deliver a credible election whose results will be acceptable by all stakeholders.
Gift Trapence of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition, which led months-long countrywide street protests against last year's election results, has high hopes for this election, saying: "Our expectation is that this election will be credible and fair enough to Malawians."
However, the electoral commission will face a significant challenge in ensuring a free and fair election, given the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 11 people and infected at least 730 in the country.
Some 6.6 million people are registered to vote on Tuesday, with polling to begin at 6am (0400 GMT) and lasting for 12 hours.
