Malawi's Former President Peter Mutharika Leads in Presidential Election

Fri Oct 17 2025 10:50:35 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Provisional results reveal Peter Mutharika, the former president of Malawi, has taken a commanding lead in the ongoing presidential elections, with significant votes reported. Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, however, remains hopeful for an increase in his vote count.

In Malawi's presidential race, Peter Mutharika has garnered approximately 66% of the votes counted so far, while the sitting president Lazarus Chakwera trails at about 24%. Mutharika's victories in Chakwera's traditional strongholds raise the stakes as both camps prepare for the commission's final results announcement. Questions around electoral integrity have emerged amid reports of irregularities and arrests related to the vote counting process.

Peter Mutharika, the former President of Malawi, appears to be gaining a significant lead in the ongoing presidential elections, as provisional results from two-thirds of the districts have been reported. The 85-year-old Mutharika is leading with approximately 66% of the valid votes, while current President Lazarus Chakwera, aged 70, trails behind with about 24% of the votes.

The results so far indicate that Mutharika has won in areas traditionally seen as strongholds for Chakwera, including the capital city Lilongwe and Nkhotakota. Despite this setback, Chakwera’s team remains optimistic about the final tally, suggesting that the results from additional areas could improve his standing and potentially lead to a runoff if he surpasses the necessary 50% threshold.

A candidate is required to secure more than 50% of the total votes to be declared the winner, and Malawians are eagerly awaiting the final results from last Tuesday's election. The Malawi Electoral Commission is expected to announce the final vote count by the end of Wednesday.

While some districts are still reporting, the commission has detained certain results due to suspected inaccuracies. Authorities are working to ensure transparency and accuracy in the elections after the previous presidential election was annulled due to irregularities.

Chakwera seized the presidency during a re-run after Mutharika's 2019 victory was nullified, yet under Chakwera's leadership, Malawi has faced an economic crisis characterized by rising inflation, fuel shortages, and persistent power cuts. His party has reported discovering irregularities in the vote tallying process and has requested a physical audit of the results, while some data entry clerks have been arrested following allegations of attempted electoral manipulation.