Chakwera was abroad on a two-day visit to Mozambique at the time of Mutharika's endorsement, followed by attendance at the SADC summit in Zimbabwe.

Malawi's political system requires a presidential candidate to secure more than 50 per cent of the votes to be declared winner.

Chilima, 51, was laid to rest in his village of Nsipe in the district of Ntcheu, about 160 km (100 miles) southeast of the capital, Lilongwe.

Chilima, of Ngoni descent, was born on February 12, 1973, in Ntcheu District, central Malawi. He had a wife, Mary, and two children.