The Economist newspaper has named Malawi as country of the year for “reviving democracy in an authoritarian region”.
The newspaper cites the nullification of the 2019 presidential election results that were marred by irregularities.
“The vote-count was rigged with correction fluid on the tally sheets. Foreign observers cynically approved it anyway. Malawians launched mass protests against the ‘Tipp-Ex election’. Malawian judges turned down suitcases of bribes and annulled it,” the Economist reports.
The country held a freer and fairer presidential election re-run in June and President Peter Mutharika was beaten by President Lazarus Chakwera.
The Freedom House’s report shows that democracy and respect for human rights regressed in 80 countries between the start of the pandemic and September but this has only improved in Malawi.
The newspaper adds that though Malawi is still poor, its people are citizens, not subjects.
