Malawi: Twittering Malawi Elections 2009 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Seven candidates are running for president in the fourth presidential elections in Malawi, including the incumbent Bingu wa Mutharika for the Democratic Progressive Party and the main opposition figure John Tembo, standing for the opposition coalition. Voters are also choosing their members of parliament. Anyone interested in the elections can follow updates from Malawian micro-bloggers.
MalawiVotes 2009 is a twitter run by the African Election Project. Their latest tweets read:
# Malawi elections nos. 5.9m voters, 3,900 poll booths Seven presidential contenders 1,100 candidates for 193 seats28 minutes ago from web
# Malawi votes in knife-edge poll http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/…28 minutes ago from web
# Minorities turn up to vote http://bit.ly/GBqEX34 minutes ago from web
# Malawi: Listen to Malawi Election Bloggers http://bit.ly/qA7cAabout 1 hour ago from web
# @commonwealthsec follow us at www.twitter.com/malawivotes… from www.africanelections.org/ma…about 1 hour ago from web in reply to commonwealthsec
# malawi elections 2009 : Vote Counting Begins www.africanelections.org/ma…about 1 hour ago from web
# Voting process peaceful: EISA http://bit.ly/UFh3Babout 1 hour ago from web
# embo votes, upbeat to win. http://www.nyasatimes.com/about 5 hours ago from web
# Arrest Muluzi, Bingu orders as Joy radio is closed. http://www.nyasatimes.com/about 5 hours ago from web
# @RFI_English www.africanelections.org/ma… follow us at www.twitter.com/malawivotes…about 6 hours ago from web in reply to RFI_English
# Police arrest voter certificate seller. http://africanelections.org…about 6 hours ago from web
# EC says late centres may close late. http://africanelections.org…about 6 hours ago from web
Kumbu of Mobile Technology blog is also twittering on Malawi Elections '09. His latest tweets read:
# Salima man caught by Police for selling registration certificate at K2,000.00about 8 hours ago from web
# Mzimba Luwelezi is the centre that had its materials arrive late – no road. had 2 use helicopter.about 8 hours ago from web
# Bees disturb people in Lilongwe at Civic centreabout 8 hours ago from web
# Bingu voted at Goliati in Thyolo, Muluzi in his home and Tembo in Dedzaabout 8 hours ago from web
# Polling staff instructed to conter sign ballot papers at the back.about 8 hours ago from web
# Poll closes at 6pm for those that started at 6am but some will close late if they opned late as well.about 8 hours ago from web
# Mzimba centre receive materials as late as 9amabout 8 hours ago from web
# Voters start queing as early as 4am and people still coming in – large numbersabout 8 hours ago from web
# Few incidences of problems with transfered voters so far – in Blantyreless than 5 seconds agoabout 8 hours ago from web
# Few incidents of problems with transfered voters so far – in Blantyreabout 8 hours ago from web
The Commonwealth, which has a team of election monitors in Malawi, has information about the elections on its twitter page and Malawi election photos on its Flickr page.