00:00The parties of the two main candidates in Malawi's presidential election declared victory Thursday,
00:06drawing rebukes from the Electoral Commission, which is here to announce results.
00:11Tuesday's vote is expected to be a close race between President Lazarus Chakwera and challenger Peter Mudharika,
00:17the former president who was beaten by Chakwera in the last elections five years ago.
00:22Officials from Chakwera's Malawi's Congress Party and Mudharika's Democratic Progressive Party
00:27held separate news briefings and said their candidates had won.
00:32The Malawi Electoral Committee says it has counted more than 99% of the votes,
00:36but hasn't declared any results, keeping a country struggling through an economic crisis and a soaring inflation on edge.
00:44The presidential race had 17 candidates, but analysts say it was likely to be a close contest between Chakwera and Mudharika.
00:51A candidate must get more than 50% of the vote to win.
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