Mutharika seen leading while Masauli accepts defeat

Partial Electoral Commission (EC) results announced at 10:30am today show Bingu wa Mutharika, presidential candidate for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the May 19 elections, leading against hottest contender John Tembo.
 

Results from nine constituencies show that Mutharika has made some political strides into the Central region, largely considered the main stay of Tembo's Malawi Congress Party (MCP), with results for Mchinji South West giving the DPP candidate 480 votes against Tembo's 218.
 

In Ntcheu South, Mutharika got 188 votes against Tembo's 107, representing a shift in voting trends for voters. Ntcheu is largely considered pro-United Democratic Front, an alliance partner to the MCP in this year's elections.
 

Results, announced by EC Chairperson Anastasia Msosa, further indicate Mutharika got 330 votes in Mwanza West, against Tembo's   112, while in Chikwawa North Mutharika got 354 against Tembo's 13
 

Tembo has, however, maintained a tight grip in his home district of Dedza, registering 780 votes against Mutharika's 303 in Dedza Central, 246 in Dedza South West against DPP's 146- a fit repeated in Mangochi Centre 9 Southern region) where he has chalked 482 against 345 for Mutharika, among other areas.

Meanwhile, Mr Stanley Masauli of the Republican Party has acknowledged defeat and says he will work with Bingu. In a letter addressed to the chairperson of the Electoral Commission and read out during the briefing, he said it is clear that so far  Bingu is emerging winner and he would as well accept defeat now.

Msosa said the results were still trickling in from various constituencies and that the next update is at about 3 pm

AEP