Malawi’s Vice-President Michael Usi has formally entered the race for the presidency, submitting his nomination papers on Tuesday ahead of the September 16 General Election, setting up a contest with incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and 18 other candidates.
Usi, who leads the Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu Party, is only the second sitting vice-president in the country’s history to challenge a serving president, following the late Saulos Chilima’s 2019 bid against then-President Peter Mutharika.
However, unlike the fraught relationship that marked Chilima’s break with Mutharika, Usi and Chakwera have maintained an amicable partnership.
Usi was appointed by Chakwera as Vice-President and Minister of State following the collapse of the Tonse Alliance, a coalition that had previously united the two.
“I am not a member of MCP.
I am not challenging him [Chakwera], I am competing with him.
If I was contesting as a member of MCP then that could have been a challenge, but I belong to Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu,” Usi said, referring to the ruling Malawi Congress Party.
Naming Grace Nazitwere as his running mate, Usi expressed readiness to serve the nation with or without the presidency, citing his motivation as rooted in public service, not political rivalry.
Usi also paid tribute to Chilima, who had selected him as a running mate in 2019 under the UTM ticket and who tragically died in a military plane crash in June 2024
He credited Chilima for introducing him to active politics.
Addressing national development challenges, Usi criticised what he described as a lack of order in government processes, particularly in the civil service and public procurement.
“That is why today there is a lot of murmuring when people are being promoted because it is not orderly… Even when it is time to distribute fertiliser, it is a mess,” he said.
He also urged candidates to accept the election outcome peacefully, saying: “The losers should also start preparing for Plan B instead of planning to start disruptions. It is only God who appoints and anoints leaders.”
Political analyst Mavuto Bamusi noted that Usi’s presence on the ballot could split votes in Democratic Progressive Party strongholds, potentially weakening Mutharika and benefiting Chakwera. Another analyst, Gift Sambo, called Usi “one of the few politicians with vast experience,” while George Chaima described him as “fully knowledgeable of what he knows from inside government and out.”
Usi highlighted his role in reviving the stalled Nasolo Bridge Project in Blantyre, which had been crippled by alleged corruption.
He also cited his push for a review of mining licences due to concerns over contracts that failed to benefit Malawians.
Other candidates submitting nominations included Jordan Sauti of the Patriotic Citizens Party (PCP), David Mbewe of the Liberation for Economic Freedom Party, and independent Thoko Manyika Banda.
President Chakwera is expected to submit his papers later today, marking the close of the nomination period.
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