At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Malawi

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Bakili MULUZI
• Head of Government: President Bakili MULUZI
• Assembly: Malawi has a unicameral National Assembly with 193 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly 193 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Bakili Muluzi
  • Party: United Democratic Front (UDF)
• Gwanda Chakuamba
  • Party: Malawi Congress Party (MCP)/Alliance for Democracy (AFORD)
• Kampelo Kalua
  • Party: Malawi Democratic Party (MDP)
• Daniel Nkhumbwe
  • Party: Congress for National Unity (CONU)
• Bingu wa Mutharika
  • Party: United Party (UP)

Last Presidential election:

• The lLast presidential election was held on May 17, 1994. In this, Bakili MULUZI received 47.16% of the vote and thus defeated Hastings Kamuzu BANDA, his closest competitor with 33.45% of the vote.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 10,882,543 (1999)
• Registered Voters: 5,071,822 (1999)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,488,379 (1999)

·         Is Malawi a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Malawi ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (12 March 1987)

·         Gender Quota: No, but there are political parties with voluntary gender quotas

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 16 (following the 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 173 (2014) 

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Malawi a signatory to CRPD: Yes (27 September 2007)

·         Has Malawi ratified CRPD: Yes (27 August 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,632,381 (est.)