Two former rivals returned to the campaign stage Saturday, rallying supporters before Malawi’s elections that promise a tight contest for power. The presidential and parliamentary vote on Tuesday comes as the southern African nation endures economic turmoil, fuel shortages, and the scars of repeated climate disasters.
President Lazarus Chakwera, a 70-year-old evangelical pastor, spoke before crowds in Lilongwe, pledging to heal the nation’s wounds. “I have heard your cries of hunger, scarcity, and high prices,” he said. “We will fix these struggles together.”
Chakwera was swept into power in 2020 after courts nullified a disputed election, defeating Peter Mutharika, who now seeks redemption. Mutharika, 85, addressed followers in Blantyre, promising reform and relief, declaring, “I want to rescue this country from suffocation.”
He accused Chakwera of neglecting national balance by concentrating projects around the capital, vowing instead to spread development and create jobs. The race has drawn 17 candidates, though the duel between Chakwera and Mutharika dominates, echoing past battles for Malawi’s political future.
More than 7.2 million voters will decide the course, but analysts predict a second round, with no clear majority expected. At a Lilongwe petrol station, voter Mundi Gama, 47, voiced fatigue with politics: “People are hungry, fuel is scarce, prices unbearable.”
Despite despair, he reflected a common yearning: “This election may change little, but people still want change.” As the week begins, Malawi waits in anticipation, balancing between continuity and renewal, with the promise of hope hanging uncertainly in the air.
