TWO MALAWI EX-PRESIDENTS JOIN RACE TO UNSEAT CHAKWERA

Two former presidents of Malawi have officially declared their bids to challenge incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera in the upcoming general election set for September 16, 2025.
Peter Mutharika, 85, who served as president from 2014 until a court-ordered rerun ousted him in 2020, launched his campaign on Sunday in Blantyre under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). He pledged to "rescue the country" from economic mismanagement and restore leadership "Malawians can trust."
On the same day, Joyce Banda, 74, Malawi’s first female president (2012–2014), announced her candidacy in Ntcheu, representing the People’s Party. She promised to address youth unemployment, ease passport backlogs, and empower communities through targeted programs—including offering motorcycles to jobless youth.
Both leaders are entering the race amid widespread dissatisfaction with Chakwera’s administration. The current president, 70, has faced mounting criticism over high inflation, food insecurity, and what citizens describe as deepening poverty.
Malawi's inflation currently stands at over 27%, with nearly three-quarters of the population living in extreme poverty, according to official figures. The country has also struggled to recover from last year’s devastating drought linked to El Niño.
With multiple candidates in the race and public confidence in leadership waning, analysts predict a highly contested election, with the possibility of a run-off vote.