This episode, ElecTalk focuses on the upcoming Malawi General Elections to be held on 16 September 2025. The episode explores the broader electoral environment, highlighting key statistics shaping the polls, and assessing the Malawi Electoral Commission’s capacity to deliver a credible and transparent process.

Malawi will hold its General Elections on 16 September 2025 under a newly approved constituency framework. The review, conducted by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), increased parliamentary constituencies from 193 to 229 and wards from 462 to 509, reshaping electoral boundaries for the upcoming polls.

These elections have generated significant interest and are widely seen as a key test for the Malawi Electoral Commission. The Commission has faced ongoing scrutiny since the Constitutional Court nullified the 2019 Presidential election and ordered fresh polls, citing gross irregularities in election administration and institutional irresponsibility. Public confidence in the MEC remains low, with only 45.8% of citizens expressing trust or some trust in the Commission, according to a 2024 Afrobarometer survey.

As political parties including the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and new parties like the United Transformation Movement (UTM) position themselves for the 2025 general elections, questions about electoral integrity, party alliances, and the role of the MEC remain central.

Election Administration

Elections in Malawi are administered by the Malawi Electoral Commission, an independent body established under the Constitution. The MEC is responsible for directing, supervising, and coordinating all elections, presidential, parliamentary, and local government. Its mandate also includes voter registration, constituency and ward boundary delimitation, and ensuring that elections are conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner. The Commission comprises of a Chairperson, who must be a judge nominated by the Judicial Service Commission and appointed by the President, and at least six other Commissioners appointed by the President in consultation with political parties represented in Parliament. The MEC’s work is supported by a Secretariat led by the Chief Elections Officer.

Electoral System

Malawi operates under a presidential system with a unicameral National Assembly, where members are elected using first past the post (FPTP). The President is determined by a majority requiring 50%+1 of the vote.

Governance System

Malawi is a sovereign democratic republic with an Executive President who serves as both Head of State and Head of Government elected by an absolute majority of the popular vote. The President is assisted by a Vice President and a Cabinet of Ministers. Legislative authority rests with the unicameral National Assembly, while judicial power is vested in the judiciary.

Representation

Women’s representation in Parliament stands at 23% well below the SADC target of 50%, while voter turnout in Malawi remains moderately high averaging 74.2% since the 1999 Presidential elections, ranging from 65% to 76% since 2004, with 65% of registered voters participating in the 2019 Elections, above the SADC average of 60.3%.

Electoral Integrity

The Electoral Integrity Global Report 2024 published by the Electoral Integrity Project ranked Malawi’s elections 25th highest in Africa out of 49 assessed countries, with a score of 48 out of 100, slightly above the SADC average of 47. According to IDEA’s Global State of Democracy 2024 Malawi performs well in Representation and Participation compared to 2018, the country has seen declines in Credible Elections, Free Political Parties, Civil Liberties, Political Equality, and Personal Security

National Assembly

The present National Assembly of Malawi comprises a total of 229 members. Each elected from a single-member constituency using the FPTP system and serve a five-year term.

The election of the President of Malawi is determined by a majority runoff system requiring 50%+1 of the vote. If no candidate achieves this threshold in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates.

But that hasn’t always been the case.

Generally, elections in Malawi had been won by candidates who received less than the absolute majority of votes. In 2014, Peter Mutharika became president with just 36% of the vote, while Bingu wa Mutharika won in 2004 with 35%.

Under the 1994 Constitution, the President was elected by ‘a majority of the electorate’. In terms of the interpretation of “majority of the electorate” the Malawi Supreme Court in Gwanda Chakuamba and others v the Attorney General, the Electoral Commission and the United Democratic Front confirmed that the word ‘majority’ as used in both the Constitution and the PPEA means "a number greater than" a number achieved by any other candidate confirming the plurality system.

However, on 3 February 2020, the High Court of Malawi, in delivering its judgment in the case of Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima and another v Professor Peter Mutharika and another held that while conceding the existence of a binding precedent, presidential candidates must garner 50%+1 of the valid votes to win elections, thereby invalidating the plurality system for presidential elections, departing from the interpretation of “majority of the electorate” in the Gwanda Chakuamba.

A Message from the Malawi Electoral Commission, Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Andrew Mpesi

A total of 17 candidates will contest Malawi’s 2025 Presidential Election, having successfully met the nomination requirements set by the Malawi Electoral Commission. Out of 20 submitted nominations, 17 were approved following a rigorous review in line with electoral laws and regulations. The ballot will features several high-profile contenders, including former presidents Dr. Joyce Hilda Banda and Prof. Peter Mutharika, current Vice President Dr. Michael Bizwick Usi, alongside former ministers and a former Reserve Bank Governor.

While the wide pool of candidates underscores the competitiveness of the upcoming polls, it also raises concerns about gender inclusivity. With only one woman contesting, the race highlights persistent barriers to women’s political participation in Malawi’s highest office.