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A woman casts her ballot for Malawi’s Tripartite elections at Malemia School Polling Centre, the home village of incumbent president yesterday. Malawians voted in closely fought elections, but polling was delayed by several hours in parts of the tiny and impoverished southern African nation, sparking anger among voters. — AFP

BLANTYRE. — Malawians started voting yesterday in an election in which 11 candidates are vying to unseat President Joyce Banda, southern Africa’s first female head of state, who came to power two years ago.
There were chaotic scenes at some polling stations in the capital, Lilongwe, and the commercial hub of Blantyre yesterday, as voting materials failed to arrive or ballot papers were sent to the wrong end of the country.

Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa, reporting from Blantyre, said many polling stations did not open on time and there had been multiple reports of rigging.
“Many people are growing frustrated in the queues and with the voting process so far,” Mutasa said.

Many of Banda’s rivals have already cried foul, saying they have unearthed plots to rig the ballot, although diplomats say they have seen no credible evidence of vote-rigging.

“We have seen no credible evidence of rigging,” British High Commissioner Michael Nevin told the Reuters news agency.
“The electoral commission has, overall and up to now, done a fair job. They have made, and they probably will make, mistakes – but that doesn’t mean that there is rigging or manipulation.”

First time voter, Enock Manda (22), from the Chilomoni Township in Blantyre, told Al Jazeera that the process went smoothly for him in his district.
“I was nervous but also happy to vote because I had a chance to say whom I want to lead us. And it only took me 10 minutes,” he said.

The only two opinion polls published have had very different results, but most analysts rank Banda as favourite in yesterday’s vote, pointing to her popularity in rural areas where the government has been rolling out development projects and farm subsidy schemes.

Meanwhile, Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Maxon Mbendera said they will extend voting hours in areas that opened late for polling and even where people will still be in queues to cast their ballots.

Voting is officially meant to end at 6pm.
Justice Mbendera told a news briefing that those who will still be queueing when polls close would be allowed to vote.
“We are monitoring the situation closely to allow every voter the opportunity to vote,” he said.

He admitted that the electoral body had faced “challenges” but said “it is important to allow MEC officials, vehicles and facilities to be allowed to conduct their work unobstructed. — Al Jazeera/Nyasa Times.