Tinotenda Hove -Former Malawian leader Peter Mutharika, 85, has taken a commanding position in the country’s September 16 presidential race, according to the latest figures released by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

MEC chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja announced on Friday and Saturday that Mutharika had accumulated 203,440 votes from nine councils so far. Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera followed with 153,507, while former Reserve Bank governor Dalitso Kabambe trailed in third place.

By Saturday evening, results from 34 of Malawi’s 36 councils had reached the National Tally Center in Lilongwe, with two councils still to report. Mtalimanja reaffirmed that the commission would declare the final outcome within eight days of the election, in line with the country’s legal framework. She appealed to candidates, parties, and the public to exercise patience and maintain peace during the verification process.

Out of 7.2 million registered voters, about 4.6 million Malawians turned out to cast their ballots. The constitution requires a presidential contender to win with more than 50 percent of valid votes; failing that, a runoff election must be held within 60 days.

The crowded race drew 17 presidential hopefuls, among them former President Joyce Banda and Vice President Michael Usi. Already, four candidates have publicly conceded defeat and pledged support for the eventual winner.

Alongside the presidential contest, voters also elected representatives for 229 parliamentary constituencies and 509 local government wards.

International observer teams from the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa praised the MEC for overseeing a largely peaceful election. Still, the process was not without controversy: reports of attempted “data manipulation” in some councils led to the arrest of eight data clerks on Friday.