Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been officially declared the elected president of Malawi, securing 56.8% of the vote in one of the most closely watched elections in the country’s recent history.
The announcement by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Wednesday evening marks Mutharika’s return to the presidency, defeating incumbent Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Announcing the results in Lilongwe, MEC Chair Annabel Mtalimanja confirmed that Mutharika received 3,035,249 votes out of 5,347,757 valid ballots. Chakwera trailed with 1,765,170 votes, representing 33%, while Dalitso Kabambe of the United Transformation Movement (UTM) obtained 4%.
Other candidates, including Atupele Muluzi of the United Democratic Front (UDF) and former President Joyce Banda, each garnered less than 2% of the vote.
“I hereby declare Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika elected President of Malawi and Judge Jane Mayemu Ansah SC, JA (retired), elected Vice President,” Mtalimanja stated.
The 2025 general elections, which registered 7.2 million registered voters, achieved a turnout of 76.4%, one of the highest in Malawi’s electoral history. The MEC reported that 65.1% of voters used biometric verification, with manual registers employed in certain polling stations.
Mutharika’s victory marks his second term in office, having previously served as president from 2014 to 2020. The MEC confirmed that official complaints had been received from the MCP, UDF, and UTM, all of which were reviewed and addressed.
Under constitutional provisions, the president and vice-president-elect are scheduled to be sworn in no earlier than seven days and no later than 30 days after the official proclamation of results.
Mtalimanja appealed to all Malawians to accept the outcome with grace and unity. “What unites us as Malawians is stronger than what divides us politically,” she said. “Let us work together to build a better, stronger, and more prosperous Malawi for future generations.”
This election, marked by a historic voter turnout and extensive public interest, underscores the resilience of Malawi’s democratic institutions and the continued engagement of its citizenry in shaping the country’s political future.
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