Malawi elections 2025: A battle among former presidents amid calls for reform

All candidates are veteran political players but carry baggage from prior administrations, including allegations of corruption and economic mismanagement. This has dramatically impacted rural livelihoods, as 80% of the population lives in such areas, with food price inflation exceeding 20%. Approximately 25% of the 23 million citizens now face acute food insecurity.

Three prominent political figures are competing:

• President Lazarus Chakwera (seeking re-election)
• Peter Mutharika, former president (2014–2020)
• Joyce Banda, former president (2012–2014)

The agricultural sector, which employs the vast majority of Malawians, was particularly affected, leaving households struggling to put food on the table. Food price inflation has soared to over 20 percent, and almost one in four citizens, about 6 million people, are now experiencing acute food insecurity.

Against this backdrop, citizens are entering the campaign season with urgent demands for reform, accountability, and leadership that can steer the country away from crisis.

At the centre of the electoral contest is a striking dynamic: three former or current presidents are vying for power. Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, who came to office in 2020 following the landmark annulment of the previous election, is seeking re-election.

He faces stiff competition from two former leaders, Peter Mutharika, who held office from 2014 to 2020, and Joyce Banda, who governed between 2012 and 2014. All three candidates bring extensive political experience, yet they also carry heavy political baggage from their time in office, ranging from corruption allegations to economic mismanagement.

Chakwera, who ascended to power via a historic court-ordered rerun in 2020, now faces lingering criticisms over unfulfilled promises of economic reform. Mutharika re-enters the fray, vowing to "rescue" the country’s economy, addressing shortages in fuel and medicines, riding on his earlier promises of infrastructure improvements and tempered inflation, though corruption allegations from his previous tenure remain unresolved.

For many Malawians, the race represents less a question of personalities and more a referendum on whether old political hands can deliver real reform.

Coalition politics and the 50%+1 rule

• To win, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote, making coalition-building an essential strategy. This elevates the influence of smaller parties such as the United Transformation Movement (UTM) and the United Democratic Front (UDF).
• The UTM is notably weakened following the death of its founder, Vice-President Saulos Chilima, in a tragic plane crash in June 2024.