Blantyre, Malawi – Malawi started counting votes on Tuesday after a one-day presidential election that could go to a runoff. Citizens were faced with a choice between giving President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, a second term or electing a new leader to address soaring inflation, fuel shortages, and a worsening cost-of-living crisis.
Among the 16 challengers, former President Peter Mutharika, 85, is seen as the main contender. Chakwera and Mutharika previously faced off in 2019, when a court nullified Mutharika’s victory due to widespread irregularities, leading to a historic rerun in 2020 that Chakwera won.
Polls closed Tuesday afternoon, and counting began soon after. By law, results must be announced within a week. Voters also selected members of Parliament and over 500 local government representatives. Analysts predict a runoff between Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party and Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party, as no candidate is expected to secure more than 50% of votes in the first round. 
Economic hardship dominated voters’ concerns. Inflation has surged from around 8% to 27% since 2020, and fuel, sugar, and staple foods have become scarce and costly. Cyclone Freddy in 2023 and the El Niño drought in 2024 further damaged crops, intensifying hardship in a country where more than 80% of the population relies on agriculture.
Patrick Holeya, a 48-year-old father of six from Thyolo, said he voted for Mutharika hoping for “caring leadership” to address the high cost of living and ongoing shortages.
Chakwera voted at a Lilongwe elementary school with his wife, offering no comments but campaigning on plans to resolve the country’s economic challenges. Mutharika said the election “will change the direction of this country” and expressed hope that a new government would tackle national problems.
About 7.2 million people registered to vote, representing just 65% of eligible citizens, down from 80% in 2019. Observers are closely watching the Malawi Electoral Commission to ensure transparency following the 2019 vote irregularities.
Malawi, a former British protectorate that gained independence in 1964, transitioned from autocratic rule under Hastings Banda to a multiparty democracy over the past two decades.
