By Peter Jegwa

Malawi will hold tripartite elections in September in which voters will be electing local councilors, members of parliament and a president.

It will be a sixth consecutive democratic election since Malawi ditched a draconian single party dictatorship in favour of multiparty democracy in the early 1990s.

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) says over seven million (7,200,905) voters — roughly 65 per cent of all eligible voters — have been registered.

On September 16, the Malawian voters will be electing a president, 229 members of parliament and 509 local councilors.

So far, 19 men and one woman have expressed interest to run for president. They include incumbent president, Lazarus Chakwera, two former presidents, Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika; former vice presidents Cassim Chilumpha and Khumbo Kachale; former cabinet ministers, Enoch Chihana, Atupele Muluzi, Frank Mwenifumbo and Kondwani Nankhumwa; former central bank chief, Dalitso Kabambe and former judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, Dunstain Mwaungulu, and three men below the age of 40.

It is expected that more candidates, possibly including the current Vice President and former comedian, Michael Usi, will join the presidential race.

The full list of known candidates is as follows:

01. Joyce Hilda Mtila Banda – Peoples Party (PP)

02. Thoko Manyika Kadonamphani Banda – Independent

03. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera – Malawi Congress Party (MCP)

04. Daniel Dube – Nationalist Patriotic Party (NPP)

05. Enoch Kamzingeni Chakufwa Chihana – Alliance for Democracy (AFORD)

06. Cassim Chilumpha – Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD)

07. David Chikomeni Chirwa (independent)

08. Dalitso Kabambe – UTM party

09. Khumbo Hastings Kachali – Freedom Party (FP)

10. Peter Driver Sinosi Kuwani – Mbakuwaku Movement for Development (MMD)