Polls open in Malawi elections
2009-05-19 08:27
Blantyre - Polling stations opened early on Tuesday in Malawi's national elections for president and parliament, in a contest dominated by concerns over hunger in one of the world's poorest countries.
Voting began at 06:00 (04:00 GMT) for 12 hours of balloting at 3 900 stations around the southern African country.
President Bingu wa Mutharika, in power since 2004, is seeking a second term, hoping that his agriculture subsidy scheme will boost his popularity among poor farmers.
His main rival is oppositional leader John Tembo, once the right-hand man to the late dictator Kamuza Banda, who is promising to expand the subsidies and is enjoying the support of the popular former president Bakili Muluzi.
About 1 100 candidates, including a record number of women, are vying for parliament where no party is expected to win an outright majority.