Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: 28-member cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%
Legislative branch: National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 93, MCP 66, AFORD 29, others 4, vacancy 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court, chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; magistrate's courts
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD
; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda
CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic
Party or MDP ; Social Democratic Party or
SDP ; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili
MULUZI] - governing party
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 797-1007
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY embassy: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: 783 166 FAX: 780 471
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government - note: the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature