LILONGWE, May 20, SPA -- Malawian President Bingu waMutharika took a strong lead on Wednesday in an election seen asa test of political stability in one of the world's fastestgrowing economies, Reuters reported. He based his campaign for a second term on his record ofturning Malawi into a net food exporter and delivering threeyears of growth above 7 percent in the country of 13 millionwhere annual gross domestic product is only $313 per capita. But he faced an opposition challenge united behind long-timeopposition leader John Tembo, who had the support of formerPresident Bakili Muluzi, himself excluded from the contest. Malawi has the world's second-fastest growing economy,according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. The first results of Tuesday's presidential election fromthe central region, traditionally an opposition stronghold,showed wa Mutharika, who is seeking his first parliamentarymajority, had 845,000 votes with 254,000 for Tembo.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/666285