- Peter Mutharika, 85, wins Malawi presidency with 56% of the vote.
- Incumbent Lazarus Chakwera concedes after securing only 33%.
- High voter turnout recorded at 76%.
- Economic struggles under Chakwera fueled discontent.
- Analysts say Mutharika’s urgent task will be economic recovery.
Malawi has elected former president Peter Mutharika back into office after he defeated President Lazarus Chakwera in the September 16 elections. The Malawi Electoral Commission announced that Mutharika collected more than 56% of the valid votes, avoiding a runoff. His longtime rival, Chakwera, managed only 33%.
The 85-year-old leader now returns to State House five years after leaving office, marking another twist in Malawi’s competitive politics.
Before the official declaration, Chakwera publicly conceded defeat and promised a smooth handover. “You have been elected by the people of Malawi to lead them into a brighter future,” electoral commission chair Annabel Mtalimanja told Mutharika during the results announcement.
Security was heightened in Lilongwe, with banks closed and police on alert as authorities prepared for possible unrest.
The latest contest was the fourth electoral clash between Mutharika and Chakwera. Mutharika has now won three of them. His 2019 win, however, was nullified by the courts due to irregularities, paving the way for a rerun that Chakwera won in 2020.
This time, Malawians turned against the incumbent, expressing frustration with his government’s economic record.
Political observers described the outcome as less about Mutharika’s popularity and more about anger over economic decline. “This election result is less about Mutharika, but more of a protest vote against Chakwera, especially in regards to his government’s handling of the economy,” said Boniface Dulani, a political scientist at the University of Malawi.
During Chakwera’s five-year rule, the country has faced foreign exchange shortages, high inflation, and climate-related disasters. Inflation has stayed above 20% for more than three years, while most citizens survive on under $3 a day.
Economists say Mutharika’s biggest task will be stabilising the economy. Bertha Bangara Chikadza, head of the Economics Association of Malawi, noted that fixing the economy could directly improve unemployment and poverty levels.
Mutharika is remembered for taming inflation and improving infrastructure during his 2014–2020 term, though his administration was accused of favouritism, claims he denied. His Democratic Progressive Party has pledged to “get the country back on track” after years of hardship.
