Malawi opposition leader in buoyant mood

Lazarus Chakwera, the leader of Malawi's main opposition party, the Malawi Congress Party, has named the country's sitting Vice-President, Saulos Chilima, as his running mate as he seeks to wrestle power from incumbent President Peter Mutharika in fresh presidential elections slated for 2 July this year.

Mr Chakwera was buoyant as he presented his nomination paper to the election management body, the Malawi Electoral Commission, in the commercial capital, Blantyre.

Malawi will hold a fresh presidential vote after last May's re-election of Mr Mutharika was nullified by the country's Constitutional Court.

Mr Chakwera, who came a close second in the annulled vote, is leading a coalition of nine opposition parties, including the UTM party formed by Mr Chilima after he fell out with the president.

Mr Chilima came third in the annulled vote.

While the governing Democratic Progressive Party is keen to delay the vote, citing the emergence of Covid-9, there is a clear determination by the opposition to let the elections go ahead.