Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has secured the backing of his party to run for a second term in next year’s election, though his prospects of retaining power may hinge on the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) finding a robust alliance partner.
The MCP, which had been in an electoral alliance with the United Transformation Movement (UTM) since 2020, now faces a challenge following the UTM’s decision to withdraw from the partnership after the tragic death of former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima in a plane crash in June.
Chilima, who led the UTM, played a crucial role in helping Chakwera secure an absolute majority in the 2020 election. Malawi’s political system requires a presidential candidate to secure more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner.
Addressing delegates at an MCP convention that endorsed his bid for a second term, Chakwera expressed confidence in the growing support for his party since the last election. “This is no ordinary convention because it is the convention of the party that will win in 2025,” Chakwera stated in his speech on Thursday. “We are growing in strength every day as more people from other parties join us, as the MCP’s founding families remain here and as those who left the party are returning.”
The MCP, originally founded by Malawi’s first president Hastings Kamuzu Banda, returned to power in 2020 after 26 years in opposition, promising to tackle corruption and revive the economy. However, opposition parties have criticized the MCP for failing to deliver on these promises, as the economy remains fragile.
Chakwera’s main challenger is expected to be former President Peter Mutharika, who is likely to receive the endorsement of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party’s convention later this month.
