View source for 2004 Malawian general election

{{Infobox election
| country = Malawi
| previous_election = 1999 Malawian general election 
| previous_year = 1999 
| previous_mps = 
| election_date = {{Start date|2004|05|20|df=yes}} 
| next_election = 2009 Malawian general election
| next_year = 2009

| module = {{Infobox election
| embed = yes
| election_name = Presidential election
| type = presidential

| image1 = Lula Mutharika (Cropped).JPG 
| nominee1 = '''[[Bingu wa Mutharika]]'''
| party1 = United Democratic Front (Malawi)
| popular_vote1 = '''1,195,586'''
| percentage1 = '''35.97%'''

| image2 = John_Tembo.jpg
| nominee2 = [[John Tembo]]
| party2 = Malawi Congress Party
| popular_vote2 = 937,965
| percentage2 = 28.22%

| image4 = Gwanda Chakuamba (cropped).jpg
| colour4 = 789456
| nominee4 = [[Gwanda Chakuamba]]
| party4 = [[Mgwirizano Coalition|MC]]
| popular_vote4 = 836,118
| percentage4 = 25.16%

| image5 = Brown Mpinganjira 2013 (cropped).jpg
| nominee5 = [[Brown Mpinganjira]]
| party5 = [[National Democratic Alliance (Malawi)|NDA]]
| popular_vote5 = 286,320
| percentage5 = 8.61%

| title = President
| before_election = [[Bakili Muluzi]]
| before_party = United Democratic Front (Malawi)
| posttitle = President 
| after_election = [[Bingu wa Mutharika]]
| after_party = United Democratic Front (Malawi)
}}}}{{Politics of Malawi}}

General elections were held in [[Malawi]] on 20 May 2004 to elect a [[President of Malawi|President]] and the [[National Assembly of Malawi|National Assembly]]. The election had originally been scheduled for 18 May but was postponed for two days in response to opposition complaints of irregularities in the voter roll.<ref>[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=41152&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&SelectCountry=MALAWI Special report on general elections] IRIN, 19 May 2004</ref> By 22 May no results had been announced, leading to protests from the opposition and threats of disorder. On 25 May the Malawi Electoral Commission finally announced the results of the election. [[Bingu wa Mutharika]], the candidate of the ruling [[United Democratic Front (Malawi)|United Democratic Front]], was declared the winner of the presidential poll, whilst the [[Malawi Congress Party]] had won most seats in the National Assembly vote. Voter turnout was around 62%.<ref>[http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/mal2004results.htm Malawi: 2004 Presidential election results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511032802/http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/mal2004results.htm |date=2010-05-11 }} EISA</ref>

==Campaign==
===President===
There were five candidates for the presidential election:
*[[Gwanda Chakuamba]], aged 69, was the candidate of a seven-party opposition coalition, the [[Mgwirizano Coalition]] or Unity Coalition. Chakuamba has a colourful past, having been a senior minister and militia commander under former President-for-life [[Hastings Banda]]. In 1980 he fell out with Banda, whose assassination he was accused of plotting. He spent 12 years in prison and emerged a popular hero, then succeeded Banda as leader of his party, the [[Malawi Congress Party]]. 
*[[Justin Malewezi]], Vice-President of Malawi under Bakili Muluzi, stood as the candidate of the [[People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)|People's Progressive Movement]], having been passed over by the ruling party.
*[[Brown Mpinganjira]], aged 55, was the candidate of the [[National Democratic Alliance (Malawi)|National Democratic Alliance]], a breakaway group from the ruling party.
*[[John Tembo]], aged 72, was the candidate of the Malawi Congress Party.
*[[Bingu wa Mutharika]], a 70-year-old economist and veteran politician who was the candidate of the ruling [[United Democratic Front (Malawi)|United Democratic Front]], although he had previously run for president under the United Party banner. He was supported by the outgoing president, [[Bakili Muluzi]].

===National Assembly===
A total of 1,268 candidates ran in the election of which 373 were independents and the rest representing fifteen parties.<ref>[http://www.cmi.no/publications/file/2541-the-institutional-context-of-the-2004-general.pdf The Institutional Context of the 2004 General Elections in Malawi] CMI</ref>

Seven parties contested the elections as the [[Mgwirizano Coalition]]; the [[Republican Party (Malawi)|Republican Party]], the [[People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)|People's Progressive Movement]], the [[Movement for Genuine Democratic Change]], the [[People's Transformation Party]], the [[Malawi Forum for Unity and Development]], the [[National Unity Party (Malawi)|National Unity Party]] and the [[Malawi Democratic Party]].

==Results==
===President===
{{Election results
|cand1=[[Bingu wa Mutharika]]|vp1=[[Cassim Chilumpha]]|party1=[[United Democratic Front (Malawi)|United Democratic Front]]|votes1=1195586
|cand2=[[John Tembo]]|vp2=Peter Chiwona|party2=[[Malawi Congress Party]]|votes2=937965
|cand3=[[Gwanda Chakuamba]]|vp3=Aleke Banda|party3=[[Mgwirizano Coalition]]|votes3=836118|color3=#789456
|cand4=[[Brown Mpinganjira]]|vp4=Mary Clara Makungwa|party4=[[National Democratic Alliance (Malawi)|National Democratic Alliance]]|votes4=286320
|cand5=[[Justin Malewezi]]|vp5=Jimmy Hastings Koreia-Mpatsa|party5=[[People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)|People's Progressive Movement]]|votes5=67812
|invalid=89764
|electorate=5752028
|source=[http://www.cmi.no/publications/file/2541-the-institutional-context-of-the-2004-general.pdf CMI]
}}

===National Assembly===
Polling in six constituencies was delayed due to printing errors on the ballot papers.<ref name=IPU>[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2195_04.htm Elections held in 2004] IPU</ref>

{{Election results
|party1=[[United Democratic Front (Malawi)|United Democratic Front]]|votes1=801200|seats1=49|sc1=–44
|party2=[[Malawi Congress Party]]|votes2=785671|seats2=57|sc2=–9
|party3=[[National Democratic Alliance (Malawi)|National Democratic Alliance]]|votes3=256713|seats3=9|sc3=New
|party4=[[Republican Party (Malawi)|Republican Party]]|votes4=231002|seats4=15|sc4=New
|party5=[[Alliance for Democracy (Malawi)|Alliance for Democracy]]|votes5=114017|seats5=6|sc5=–23
|party6=[[People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)|People's Progressive Movement]]|votes6=98548|seats6=6|sc6=New
|party7=[[Movement for Genuine Democratic Change]]|votes7=53127|seats7=3|sc7=New
|party8=[[People's Transformation Party]]|votes8=21153|seats8=1|sc8=New
|party9=[[Malawi Forum for Unity and Development]]|votes9=11655|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=New Congress for Democracy|votes10=9545|seats10=0|sc10=New
|party11=[[Congress for National Unity]]|votes11=7410|seats11=1|sc11=New
|party12=[[Malawi Democratic Party]]|votes12=2494|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13=[[National Unity Party (Malawi)|National Unity Party]]|votes13=2336|seats13=0|sc13=New
|party14=Pamodzi Freedom Party|votes14=363|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=National Solidarity Movement|votes15=216|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=Independents|votes16=766137|seats16=40|sc16=+36
|row17=Vacant|seats17=6|sc17=–
|invalid=167376
|total_sc=0
|electorate=5603225
|source=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150725071804/http://www.mec.org.mw/res/PARLIAMENTARY%20SUMMARY%20RESULTS%20FOR%202004%20ELECTIONS.pdf MEC]
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Malawian elections}}

[[Category:Presidential elections in Malawi]]
[[Category:Elections in Malawi]]
[[Category:2004 elections in Africa|Malawi]]
[[Category:2004 in Malawi|General]]
[[Category:May 2004 events in Africa|Malawi]]