Raphael Kanu
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has conceded defeat in last week’s general election, paving the way for opposition candidate Peter Mutharika to return to power five years after he was ousted.
In a national address on Wednesday, Chakwera, 70, admitted it was clear Mutharika had built an “insurmountable lead” in the September 16 poll.
“A few minutes ago, I called Professor Mutharika to wish him well,” Chakwera announced, just hours before the election commission was due to release the official results.
Chakwera, a former pastor and leader of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), first rose to power in 2020 after defeating Mutharika, a constitutional law expert and leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
This year’s election was dominated by widespread frustration over Malawi’s battered economy. Critics accused Chakwera of indecisiveness, poor management, and failure to curb corruption or create jobs. Inflation soared to 33 percent during his tenure, while prices of staple maize and fertilizer — lifelines for the agriculture-driven economy — surged to record highs.
Despite the setback, Chakwera promised a peaceful transfer of power:
“In the days that remain, I want you to know that I am committed to a peaceful transfer of power. I know that many of you who supported my campaign for reelection will be disappointed.”
Mutharika, who previously governed from 2014 to 2020, is now set for a dramatic comeback, inheriting a nation struggling with inflation, unemployment, and widespread rural poverty.