Malawi’s ex-president Joyce Banda has withdrawn her presidential bid and endorsed opposition front runner Lazarus Chakwera, the two candidates’ parties announced.
Banda, who served as President between 2012 and 2014 and was accused of abuse of office and money laundering during her term, had been set to run for the role again in elections in May.
A joint statement from Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party, the southern African country’s second largest, and Banda’s People’s Party said Malawi is bigger than individuals and as such they all have to set aside individual aspirations and embrace the greater and common good of the country.
