BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Polls opened Tuesday in Malawi’s elections, where the country will choose a president, lawmakers and local government representatives.

President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, is seeking a second term against 16 other candidates. Former President Peter Mutharika, 85, is expected to be his strongest challenger.

They are the first national elections in the southern African nation of 21 million since the 2019 presidential vote was nullified and ordered to be redone in 2020 because of widespread irregularities.