Aspiring Malawi president Ras David Chikomeni Chirwa has announced that he has managed to raise K400,000 in his bid to gather the K10 million required for him to contest in the upcoming September 16 presidential election.

Speaking after a fundraising tour in Lilongwe, Chikomeni revealed that the amount includes cash donations and mobile money transfers from supporters. However, he still has a long way to go, needing K9.6 million more to meet the required fee.

Determined to be on the ballot, Chikomeni said he will continue touring other areas to mobilize the remaining funds.

In 2019, he was forced to withdraw from the race after failing to pay the then-required K2 million nomination fee. This year, the amount has been increased to K10 million, posing a greater challenge for independent candidates.