2025 Malawian general election
 | This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the election progresses until official results have been published. Initial news reports may be unreliable, and the last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (September 2025) |
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Presidential election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 7,203,390[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 64.13% ( 0.68 pp)[needs update] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All 229 seats in the National Assembly 115 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections were held in Malawi on 16 September 2025 to elect the President, the 229 members of the National Assembly and 509 local government councillors.[2]
Background
[edit]The election was the second conducted under the two-round constitutional threshold introduced after the annulment of the 2019 Malawian general election and the subsequent fresh presidential election the following year that brought Lazarus Chakwera to power. In July 2024, the United Transformation Movement (UTM) withdrew from the governing Tonse Alliance, leaving the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to contest the elections on its own.[3]
Electoral system
[edit]The President of Malawi is elected using a two-round system. Should no candidate secure an absolute majority in the first round, a run-off is held within 30 days. Members of the National Assembly are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting.[4]
According to the Malawi Electoral Commission, 7.2 million voters were enrolled after the three registration phases, with women constituting 57% of the electorate.[5] At 65%, the number of eligible voters who enrolled was less from the 80% recorded in 2019.[6]
Parties and alliances
[edit]- Malawi Congress Party (MCP) – governing party of President Chakwera; running without the UTM following the collapse of the Tonse Alliance in 2024.[7]
- Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) – main opposition party; endorsed former president Peter Mutharika as its presidential candidate in August 2024.[8]
- People's Party (PP) – led by former president Joyce Banda, who relaunched her national campaign in June 2025.[9]
- United Democratic Front (UDF) – headed by Atupele Muluzi, which has indicated it may field its own ticket if no opposition alliance is formed.[10]
- United Transformation Movement (UTM) – Following the death of founder Saulos Chilima, vice-president Michael Usi became interim leader as per the party’s constitution. He initially expressed interest in leading the party, [11] but did not contest at the November 2024 convention,[12] where Dalitso Kabambe was elected as the new party leader.[13]
Candidates
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Lazarus Chakwera – incumbent President; endorsed by the MCP in August 2024.[14] His running mate is Vitumbiko Mumba, the former Minister of Trade and Industry and former Labour Minister, who has been chosen despite MCP constitutional norms that typically favour the First Deputy President.
- Peter Mutharika – former President (2014–2020); nominated by the DPP.[15] His running mate is Jane Ansah, the former Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson.[16]
- Joyce Banda – former President (2012–2014); announced her candidacy on 23 June 2025.[17] Her running mate is Khumbo Kachali, her former Vice‑President during her 2012–2014 term.[18]
- Dalitso Kabambe – Former governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi and candidate of the UTM party. His running mate is Matthews Mtumbuka.[19]
- Atupele Muluzi – UDF president. His running mate is Dr. Rex Kalolo.[20]
Campaign
[edit]The official campaign period began on 14 July 2025 at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, with activities continuing through 14 September, two days before polling on 16 September 2025, according to the MEC election calendar.[21]
Presidential debates
[edit]
The Presidential Debates Taskforce, chaired by MISA Malawi, organised debates ahead of the 2025 general election with support from the National Democratic Institute. The first debate was held on 21 August 2025 at the BICC and broadcast nationally.[22] A second debate was rescheduled to 9 September 2025. Some major candidates, including President Lazarus Chakwera and former President Peter Mutharika, did not participate.[23]
Peace initiative by the Public Affairs Committee
[edit]On 8 September 2025, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) held a National Day of Prayers and Peace Declaration signing at the BICC in Lilongwe. The event brought together several presidential candidates, including President Lazarus Chakwera, Joyce Banda, Atupele Muluzi, and Dalitso Kabambe, who pledged to promote peaceful elections.[24]
The gathering was marked by gestures of unity, though notable absentees included Peter Mutharika and Michael Usi, whose absence drew criticism.[25][26] PAC Chairperson, Monsignor Patrick Thawale, stressed that the declaration would help manage disputes during and after the elections.[27]
Opinion polls
[edit]Opinion polling was conducted by the Institute of Public Opinion Research (IPOR Malawi) ahead of the election. The survey results, including those from July and August 2025, are summarised in the table below.
| Polling firm | Fieldwork date | Sample
size |
Mutharika | Chakwera | Kabambe | Muluzi | Banda | Undecided | None | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 general election | 16 September 2025 | – | ||||||||
| IPOR[28][29] | 27 August 2025 | – | 41 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 | – | 10 |
| IPOR[30] | 20 July 2025 | – | 43 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 17 |
| 2020 presidential election | 23 June 2020 | 4,445,699 | 39.92 | 59.34 | – | – | – | – | – | 19.42 |
Another poll conducted by Afrobarometer in August 2024 showed that 43% of respondents supported the Democratic Progressive Party, 29% the Malawi Congress Party, 7% the United Transformation Movement, and 2% the United Democratic Front.[31]
Conduct
[edit]Civil society and media advocates such as MISA Malawi have called for unrestricted press freedom and safety for journalists, citing prior instances of intimidation during electoral periods.[32] In June 2025, a rally calling for the resignation of top officials of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) was attacked by masked, machete-wielding men.[33][34]
MEC engaged six international observer missions, undertaken gender‑sensitive and risk‑management training, and facilitated party briefings on voter roll verification to reinforce preparedness and credibility.[35]
On 29 August 2025, MEC completed the accreditation of election observers for the 16 September general election, approving 19 international observers and 40 local observers.[36]
On 27 August 2025, MEC conducted a dry-run of its Results Management System (RMS) ahead of the general election. The exercise, held at the national tally centre in Lilongwe and in selected constituencies, aimed to test the speed, accuracy, and security of results transmission.[37] The test revealed some challenges, including network glitches in Blantyre and Lilongwe that delayed the transmission of results. MEC acknowledged the issues but stated that the system’s integrity remained intact and pledged to resolve the problems before polling day.[38]
Results management and observer concerns
[edit]In their preliminary report, international and regional observer missions, including the European Union and Southern African Development Community, urged MEC to ensure transparency in the management of election results. The missions, along with several civil society groups, expressed concern about delays in publishing partial results and called for safeguarding election data and materials against tampering or loss.[39][40]
On 18 September 2025, some political party representatives raised concerns after tally kits from districts including Nkhata Bay, Luchenza, and Kasungu arrived at the national tally centre in Lilongwe without proper security seals. The handover was briefly halted, with the Malawi Electoral Commission pledging to investigate; it later resumed after parties received printouts from the devices for verification.[41]
Results
[edit]Initial results suggest that former President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party is leading in several areas, including the lakeshore districts of Nkhata Bay and Mangochi, in the presidential election.[42][43] Official tallies are still awaited from the Malawi Electoral Commission. Despite this, both the MCP and the DPP claimed victory on 17 September.[44]
References
[edit]- ^ "Final 2025 GE Voter Registration Statistics by Centre" (PDF). Malawi Electoral Commission. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "What is at stake in Malawi's elections?". BBC. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
- ^ "Fragments of opinion after UTM quit the Tonse Alliance". Malawi24. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Malawi: Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "4 million women register to vote in 2025". The Nation. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Malawians vote for president with their southern African nation gripped by economic turmoil". AP News. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ "Fragments of opinion after UTM quit the Tonse Alliance". Malawi24. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Malawi's main opposition endorses ex-president Mutharika to run in 2025". Reuters. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Joyce Banda says Malawi needs a new vision". Nyasa Times. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025 – via AllAfrica.
- ^ "Atupele Muluzi accuses DPP of succession fears ahead of 2025 elections". Malawi24. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Michael Usi eyes UTM presidency". Times Group. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Analysis: Michael Usi's decision to withdraw from UTM's Elective Convention". Malawi24. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ "Dalitso Kabambe wins landslide victory at UTM Convention". Malawi24. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ "Chakwera secures MCP backing for 2025 race". Reuters. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Malawi's main opposition endorses ex-president Mutharika to run in 2025". Reuters. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "I'm Back to Rescue Malawi" — Mutharika Declares as He Unveils Jane Ansah as Running Mate". Nyasatimes. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ "Joyce Banda says Malawi needs a new vision". Nyasa Times. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025 – via AllAfrica.
- ^ "Former President Joyce Banda unveils her former Vice-President Khumbo Kachali as her running mate for the September 16 election". Malavi Express. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
- ^ "Dalitso Kabambe Picks Mathews Mtumbuka as Running Mate Ahead of September 16 Presidential Poll". Malawi Freedom Network. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ "I'm not backing anyone – Muluzi". Malawi24. 26 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ "Malawi's official campaign season begins as MEC opens 60-day window". Malawi24. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ^ "Malawi's 2025 Presidential Debates: Dates, Parties and What to Expect". www.zodiakmalawi.com. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- ^ Mhone, Macmillan (21 August 2025). "Chakwera, APM shun presidential debate". Nation Online. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
- ^ "Chakwera Leads Rivals in Smiles and Handshakes at Peace Prayers — But Usi and Mutharika Nowhere to Be Seen". Nyasa Times. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ Njiragoma, Wycliffe (9 September 2025). "APM, others shun peace pact event". Nation Online. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "DPP and Odya Zake Humiliated Barred from Signing Peace Pact Because Their Leaders Didn't Show Up". Nyasa Times. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "Presidential Candidates Successfully Sign Peace Declaration-Crucial Step Towards 2025 General Elections". Public Affairs Committee. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ^ PASUNGWI, JONATHAN (5 September 2025). "Race tightens". Nation Online. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ "IPOR Poll: Chakwera Jumps to 31% (+5), Mutharika Slips to 41% (-2) as Opposition Vote Splits". Nyasa Times. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ Njiragoma, Wycliffe (29 July 2025). "Ipor survey puts APM ahead, but short of hitting 50%+1". Nation Online. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ "Survey result favours DPP". Times Group. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ "MISA Malawi calls for free media ahead of 2025 Malawi elections". Misa Malawi. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ^ "Malawi votes for next president as cost-of-living bites". BBC. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ Singini, George (27 June 2025). "Police, MDF fail to protect demonstrators". Nation Online. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
- ^ "MEC Engages Six Pre-Election Observer Missions Ahead of 2025 General Election". Malawi Electoral Commission. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ^ "MEC accredits 19 international observers and 40 locals for September 16 general election". Maravi Express. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "MEC conducts results system dry run". Times Group. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ "Network glitches mar MEC system test". Nation Publications Limited. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ Njiragoma, Wycliffe (19 September 2025). "EU observers point out uneven playing field". Nation Online. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ "Malawi election observers urge transparent election results management". Anadolu Ajansi. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ Njiragoma, Wycliffe (19 September 2025). "Parties tussle over unsealed vote tally kits". Nation Online. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ^ "Unofficial Results Show Considerable Lead for APM". Nyasa Times. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
- ^ "Mutharika takes early lead as Malawi vote tallies trickle in". APAnews. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ Gregory Gondwe (19 September 2025). "Parties of both main candidates claim Malawi election victory but results not yet announced". AP News. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
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