FORMER MALAWIAN PRESIDENT SLAMS THE INCUMBENT

Former Malawian president Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has reclaimed the presidency, defeating incumbent Lazarus Chakwera by a resounding margin of more than 20 percentage points.

On Wednesday, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declared that the 85 - year old Mutharika had secured 56.8% of the vote in last week’s elections, while incumbent Lazarus Chakwera managed just 33%, the outcome reflecting mounting public frustration over the battered economy, rising living costs, persistent fuel shortages, and sluggish growth.

Chakwera, who has led Malawi since 2020, quickly conceded defeat to his core rival.

“It is only right that I concede defeat out of respect for your will as citizens and out of respect for the constitution,” he said, admitting that Mutharika’s lead was “insurmountable.”

He also pledged a peaceful transfer of power in the coming days.

The contest, widely regarded as one of Malawi’s tightest in recent years, effectively became a referendum on Chakwera’s turbulent term. Since his historic 2020 victory—achieved in a rerun after Mutharika’s disputed 2019 win was annulled—the country has seen little economic progress.

Chakwera had been accused of indecision and weak leadership, while many voters signaled a preference for Mutharika’s experienced, if ageing, stewardship.

Mutharika’s comeback marks a dramatic twist in Malawi’s politics. Just five years ago, he was swept out in a court-ordered rerun after his razor-thin 2019 win was annulled over irregularities. Back then, a struggling economy, fuel queues, and public anger over graft left him vulnerable, paving the way for Chakwera’s rise.

The events in Malawi have reignited belief that removing an incumbent president is possible, despite the long-held perception of difficulty in unseating sitting leaders in Africa.

The outcome has since inspired opposition movements elsewhere: Tanzania heading to the polls in October, Uganda’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) gearing up to challenge President Museveni’s four-decade rule in January 2026, and Kenya’s opposition remaining cautiously optimistic about unseating President Ruto in 2027.