Former Malawian president Peter Mutharika has been declared the winner of the September 16, 2025 presidential election, marking a dramatic political comeback for the 85-year-old leader. The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) announced Wednesday evening that Mutharika, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), secured 3 million votes (56.8%), defeating incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who received 1.77 million votes (33%).
Seventeen candidates contested the race, but only a handful made an impact. Former central bank governor Dalitso Kabambe came third with 211,413 votes (5%), while former president Joyce Banda managed just over 86,000 votes (1.6%). Turnout was high, with 5.5 million ballots cast by 7.2 million registered voters (76%). The election outcome underscores Malawians’ frustration with the economy. Inflation has soared above 27%, foreign currency reserves have dried up, and persistent fuel shortages have left many citizens struggling. Natural disasters have compounded the crisis, including a devastating cyclone in 2023 and last year’s severe drought that crippled agriculture—the livelihood of more than 80% of the population.
Mutharika, a former law professor and the younger brother of late president Bingu wa Mutharika (2004–2012), previously governed Malawi from 2014 to 2020. His presidency was marred by accusations of cronyism but credited with lowering inflation and improving infrastructure. He lost to Chakwera in the historic 2020 rerun election that followed a court-nullified 2019 vote due to widespread irregularities, including evidence of altered tally sheets. Despite concerns raised by Chakwera’s party about alleged “serious anomalies” in this year’s count, MEC chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja praised the peaceful conduct of the poll, saying it was largely free of logistical problems.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place within a week of the announcement. Mutharika will face an immediate test of leadership, with citizens demanding urgent action on economic recovery, food security, and governance reform. This election also comes in the shadow of tragedy: the death of Vice President Saulos Chilima in a 2024 military plane crash shocked the nation, depriving Malawians of a popular leader once seen as a future president. Since independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi has navigated a fragile democracy, having moved away from 30 years of autocratic rule under Hastings Banda. The 2025 vote, the most competitive in decades, signals both the resilience of Malawi’s democracy and the uncertainty of its economic future.
