Malawi Election: Former President Mutharika Gains Early Advantage Over Chakwera

Malawi’s former president Peter Mutharika has taken an early lead in the current election, marking his fourth contest against the sitting president, Lazarus Chakwera. Preliminary results from about a quarter of the country’s councils indicate Mutharika has secured approximately 51% of the valid votes in nine out of 36 councils, while Chakwera has received close to 39%.
To win outright, a candidate must obtain more than 50% of the valid votes; otherwise, a runoff will be required. Political experts anticipated the September 16 election would mainly be a contest between these two candidates, who represent the largest political parties in Malawi’s parliament.
Since Chakwera, a former pastor aged 70, assumed office five years ago, Malawi has experienced economic stagnation. The nation has also been hit hard by a cyclone and a regional drought, both linked to climate change, which have destroyed crops and intensified economic difficulties. Inflation has remained above 20% for over three years.
Mutharika, aged 85 and a former law professor, was recognised for improving infrastructure and reducing inflation during his 2014 to 2020 presidency. However, he faced accusations of favouritism, which he denied. Chakwera came into office promising to tackle corruption, though his approach has faced criticism for being selective and slow.
The election commission is expected to release the full provisional presidential election results by September 24. It has cautioned candidates against declaring victory too soon and is carefully verifying all tally sheets to ensure accuracy.
Previously, the constitutional court annulled Mutharika’s 2019 election win due to irregularities, including the use of correction fluid on result sheets. Chakwera went on to win the rerun held in 2020.