Seventeen candidates are in the fight, with incumbent Lazaro Chakwella and his predecessor Peter Mutarika at the top.
Released on September 16, 2025
It is counted in Malawi after the presidential elections that come when the nation in Southeast Africa is facing its worst economic crisis in decades.
Though 17 candidates are running for president, the race is widely seen as a contest between 70-year-old incumbent Lazarochakwera and his predecessor Peter Muthalica (85).
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My rivals met twice at the ballot box. In 2014, when Mutarika won, and in 2020, Chakwera won again in regeneration, winning at 59% after the original vote resolved the irregularity.
A long line formed outside the polling station on Tuesday morning, followed by a sharp decline in turnout later that day. By mid-afternoon, the Election Commission had only reported a 51% turnout, compared to 64% in 2020.
Chakwera, an evangelical pastor, and Mutarika, a former law professor, face allegations of chronism and corruption.
However, analysts say other candidates, including former president Joyce Banda, the only woman in the race, could not break the control of the two frontrunners.
Chakwera is seeking a second term on its promise to correct the economy and restore confidence in the government. Mutharika campaigns on the record of infrastructure investments, but his tenure was also marked by a corruption scandal.
This is because 21.6 million people in Malawi are tackling inflation of more than 27%, foreign currency shortages and chronic fuel disruptions. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, particularly tobacco, but the climate crisis is struggling.
In 2023, Cyclone Freddy killed more than 1,200 people and destroyed farmland in Malawi, but food insecurity worsened as the drought recurred. The World Bank says 70% of Malawians live for less than $2.15 a day.
Along with the presidential vote, the Malawians also elected members of the 35 local government councils and local councillors.
If a candidate does not win more than 50% of the vote, the spill will take place within 60 days. Preliminary results from Tuesday’s first round are expected by Thursday.
