General elections were held in Malawi on 17 May 1994. Following the democracy referendum the previous year, they were the first multi-party elections in the country since prior to independence in 1964. The elections for President and the National Assembly were both won by the United Democratic Front, whose candidate, Bakili Muluzi, defeated former President-for-life Hastings Banda in the presidential vote. Results in two seats, both won by Banda's Malawi Congress Party, were annulled due to irregularities.[1]
The election was contested by eight parties, who put forward a total of 600 candidates, as well as 13 independents.[1] Voter turnout was 79.6%.[2]
Following the election, on 25 May Muluzi formed a 25-member cabinet, including members of the Malawi National Democratic Party and the United Front for Multiparty Democracy. He left three posts unfilled in the hope that the Alliance for Democracy would also join the government.[1]
Results[edit]
Presidential election[edit]
National Assembly election[edit]
| Party |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
| United Democratic Front |
1,375,878 |
46.53 |
85 |
| Malawi Congress Party |
996,047 |
33.68 |
56 |
| Alliance for Democracy |
563,417 |
19.05 |
36 |
| United Front for Multiparty Democracy |
9,859 |
0.3 |
0 |
| Malawi Democratic Party |
6,980 |
0.2 |
0 |
| Malawi National Democratic Party |
2,913 |
0.1 |
0 |
| Congress for the Second Republic of Malawi |
2,118 |
0.1 |
0 |
| Malawi Democratic Union |
323 |
0.0 |
0 |
| Independents |
6,159 |
0.2 |
0 |
| Invalid/blank votes |
70,550 |
- |
- |
| Total |
3,004,835 |
100 |
177 |
| Source: Nohlen et al. |
References[edit]
