Malawi’s President Chakwera concedes election to his predecessor Mutharika

Before the Electoral Commission’s announcement of the official results in the largely poor southern African nation, which is plagued by rising costs and severe fuel shortages, Malawi’s president Lazarus Chakwera conceded defeat in the presidential election held this month.

In a speech, Chakwera, 70, said, “It is only right that I concede defeat out of respect for your will as citizens and out of respect for the constitution.”

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Official results released today show that former president Peter Mutharika has a clear lead over Chakwera, despite the Electoral Commission’s scheduled briefing for 12 GMT on Wednesday.

The country’s next leader was decided by voters last week in a vote that experts predicted would be one of the most closely contested elections in recent memory between Mutharika and Chakwera, the two main opposition parties in Malawi’s parliament.