Malawians are waiting to find out who their next president will be as polls have closed in most parts of the country and counting has started.
Thousands of people queued outside polling stations on Tuesday to vote for a president, MPs, and local councillors, keenly hoping to effect change in a country swamped by economic troubles. Some are still voting in areas where polling started late.
In his campaign for a second term, current President Lazarus Chakwera pledged to fix Malawi's economy - as did his main rival, octogenarian former leader Peter Mutharika.
If no candidate wins more than half the votes, the top two contenders will head to a run-off.
There is anger in us. I want to change this government. I want young people to be in good jobs, Ettah Nyasulu, a 28-year-old waitress told the AFP press agency before heading out to vote.
Malawi has long been one of the poorest countries in the world, but recent times have been especially punishing. Food costs have been rising at more than 30% in the last year, and wages have not kept pace. The high inflation rate has partly been attributed to a shortage of foreign currency - known as 'forex' - in the banks.
President Chakwera, who has promised to tackle this shortage, stood in line to vote, surrounded by supporters in his home village, hoping to show solidarity with citizens enduring economic hardships.
The election appears to be a two-horse race between Chakwera and Mutharika, although there are 17 candidates overall.
As counting begins, Malawi's future is uncertain, with results anticipated by September 24. Voters' voices call for change and a better economic standard for the nation.
