Two former presidents of Malawi have officially launched campaigns to challenge current President Lazarus Chakwera in the country’s upcoming general election set for September 16, 2025.
The election comes amid growing public anger over soaring inflation and a deep economic crisis, with the cost of living skyrocketing and poverty levels rising.
Malawi, a country of 21 million people in Southern Africa, is experiencing its worst economic downturn in decades.
Inflation is now near 30%, and three out of every four citizens live in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank.
With this as a backdrop, two former leaders—Peter Mutharika and Joyce Banda—have launched separate presidential bids to unseat Chakwera, who won a court-ordered election rerun in 2020.
85-year-old Peter Mutharika, former president from 2014 to 2020, launched his campaign in Blantyre, the country’s second-largest city.
The law professor and leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) sharply criticized the current government, saying:
“Today, Malawi is under oppression—hunger, poverty, and fear of the very government meant to protect us.”
Mutharika’s 2020 re-election was annulled due to electoral irregularities, paving the way for Chakwera’s rise. He now says it’s time to “rescue” the country from poor leadership and restore stability.
74-year-old Joyce Banda, Malawi’s first female president, launched her campaign in Ntcheu, pledging to address youth unemployment and corruption.
Banda became president in 2012 after the sudden death of then-leader Bingu wa Mutharika, but lost the 2014 election and later went into self-imposed exile for four years amid a scandal known as “Cashgate.” She has since returned and rebuilt her image.
“If elected, my first task will be to fix the passport crisis so our youth can work abroad,” she said. She also promised to provide motorcycles to unemployed youth to help them start small businesses.
Political tensions have increased ahead of the elections. In June, unidentified attackers disrupted a protest calling for an independent audit of the voter register and the resignation of top electoral officials over fraud allegations.
Opposition leaders accuse Chakwera’s party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), of silencing critics, but the party denies any involvement in the violence.
At least two other candidates, including Vice President Saulos Chilima, are expected to challenge Chakwera. Chilima’s political position remains uncertain due to his involvement in a high-profile corruption investigation, but he has not officially withdrawn from the race.
Chakwera, 70, who won 58% of the vote in the 2020 rerun, is seeking a second term, but must now defend his record amid a crumbling economy and rising discontent.
With just six weeks to the election, Malawi’s political climate is heating up. Citizens will be closely watching how the candidates plan to tackle inflation, youth joblessness, and widespread poverty.
This election could be one of the most competitive in Malawi’s democratic history.
