Peter Mutharika, the former President of Malawi, is leading the presidential election with approximately 66% of the votes counted, according to provisional results from two-thirds of the districts. His closest rival, incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, has garnered around 24%. Mutharika's victories in areas typically dominated by Chakwera, including the capital Lilongwe, have raised eyebrows. However, Chakwera's team remains optimistic, anticipating better results from remaining districts, particularly in rural areas. The Malawi Electoral Commission is under scrutiny to ensure the integrity of the election process, especially after previous irregularities led to the annulment of Mutharika's 2019 victory. Chakwera's party has reported discovering irregularities and has requested a physical audit of the results. Meanwhile, police have arrested eight clerks for alleged election fraud.