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Malawi Ruling Party Partners with Opposition Party Ahead of Fresh Elections

Lameck Masina

   BLANTYRE - Malawi's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the
   opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) formed an electoral alliance
   Tuesday ahead of elections in May. Observers say the goal is to achieve
   more than 50 percent of the total votes required for the winner.

   The action is being taken a day after parliament set May 19 as the date
   for fresh presidential elections, and after a constitutional court
   nullified last May's ballot results, which incumbent President Peter
   Mutharika narrowly won.

   In his short speech during a signing ceremony in the capital, Lilongwe,
   Tuesday, Mutharika said the partnership comes because both parties hold
   similar values.

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