The head of Malawi’s electoral commission has warned political parties not to prematurely declare electoral victory, saying they should wait for the official results.

Annabel Mtalimanja’s warning came after the parties of the two main presidential candidates, the incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika, claimed they had won Tuesday’s poll.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Ms Mtalimanja said that only the commission was mandated to release results.

Malawians have been eagerly awaiting results, but the commission has not yet released any – despite the fact that nearly all votes have been counted.

The commission is expected to announce the outcome only after all votes have been tallied and verified in order to avoid the possibility of the final result being challenged.

A candidate needs to win more than 50% of the vote, or a run-off is held.

The 2019 election was marred by controversy when the highest court annulled then-President Mutharika’s victory, citing widespread irregularities.

Chakwera, 70, won the re-run by a wide margin, propelling him to the presidency.

Mutharika, 85, is hoping to regain office in what would be a dramatic political comeback.

Malawians also voted in parliamentary and local elections following a campaign dominated by the worsening economic crisis that has seen a severe shortage of fuel and foreign currency.

The official inflation rate is close to 30%, with a frozen chicken in a supermarket in the capital, Lilongwe, costing about $20 (£15), in a nation where people live on an average of $2 a day.