By Christopher Nhlane

Copyright mwnation

As I wrote this piece on Thursday, many Malawians were still holding their breath with eyes and ears fixed on radios, TV screens and the buzzing social media, waiting anxiously for the official word from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on who had triumphed in Tuesday’s high-stakes general election.

Legally, Section 98 of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act gives MEC up to eight days after polling to declare the presidential results, 14 days for parliamentary elections and 21 days for local government contests. So, the wait is far from over. And as always, this wait is not without the familiar cocktail of anticipation, stress, speculation and tension. The good thing, though, is that our security apparatus and other electoral stakeholders are out in full force to keep the peace and ensure the process runs smoothly and, hopefully, not just on the surface.

Nevertheless, the spotlight in this election is firmly on President Lazarus Chakwera of MCP and his predecessor, Peter Mutharika of DPP. Both are seeking their final return to the State House and, from the look of things, are running neck and neck in many polling areas. Yes, one or two other presidential hopefuls, including UTM torchbearer Dalitso Kabambe, may be flickering on the radar, but let us be honest—the rest merely succeeded in crowding the presidential ballot.

And speaking of Voting Day last Tuesday, scores of registered voters thronged polling centres to make their voices heard, with polling generally being peaceful and orderly across the country, as confirmed by both local and international election observers. There were, of course, a few technical and administrative glitches that briefly inconvenienced early voters in some areas, which did not derail the democratic process.

I also commend the men, women, youths, the elderly and persons with disabilities who turned out to vote on Tuesday. Your active participation demonstrates not only a commitment to shaping Malawi’s future. It also signals that our democratic space is gradually expanding.

Yes, the competition was fierce, not only in the presidential race, but across parliamentary and local government contests where candidates also battled for every vote and every ward with equal intensity. Foundations of our politics were shaken in ways many once thought impossible. I could see some voters abandoning long-held notions of stronghold politics, tribal loyalties and regional allegiances in some districts in the Eastern, Southern, and Central regions and the Lhomwe Belt from unofficial results from some of our most credible media houses. Many candidates were unofficially amassing votes outside their perceived strongholds, winning support without relying on tribal or regional lines.

What did the people from these areas do? They simply looked beyond history and identity politics. They opted to focus instead on performance, credibility and the long trail of promises left by politicians on both sides of the aisle. They also evaluated both old and new aspirants not by tribal loyalties, regional strongholds or past affiliations, but by what they actually delivered or failed to deliver in their areas. This signals a more discerning electorate that holds leaders accountable for their actions, not just their rhetoric,

Otherwise, the truth is that Malawian voters have often elected the least bad options when choosing Presidents since 1994, and I am yet to find out if they reserve the best options for parliamentarians and ward councillors.

As I said last week, that is exactly the scenario before us this year between Chakwera and Mutharika, not their respective running mates thus far. However, there is room for the winner to make amends and prove his worth between now and 2030.

Remember, humility and adaptability are key survival skills in politics. Those who listen and respond to voters’ aspirations with sincerity get rewarded at the ballot while those who dismiss people’s voices face a rude awakening.

Congratulations in advance to the winner. Feedback: 08 82 167 309, WhatsApp and SMS only