President-elect Peter Mutharika calls Malawians to unite, heal divisions, and build a stronger future together
By Edwin Mauluka
With Malawi’s economy on its knees, President-elect Peter Mutharika has placed national unity and economic recovery at the heart of his agenda.
Speaking to reporters at his Nyambadwe residence in Blantyre on Friday, he declared: “The time for competition has ended. The time for cooperation has begun… We are one nation. One people. One destiny…and Malawi will rise again.”
Mutharika urged Malawians to set aside divisions and embrace “what unites us as one nation, one people, one destiny.”
“The challenges before us are real,” he said. “Our economy must recover; food must be available for everyone; jobs must be created. Our health care and education system must be strengthened. Infrastructure must be improved. And above all, we must rebuild trust in public institutions.”
Mutharika defeated incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera in a landslide, winning 57% of the vote against Chakwera’s 33% in the September 16 elections. The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declared him the winner a week after polling, noting the legal obligation to finalize tallies and address concerns before announcing results.
Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party had sought a court injunction to block MEC from releasing results, but the High Court rejected the request. Even before the official declaration, Chakwera conceded defeat, acknowledging that the issues raised would not change the outcome and congratulating Mutharika.
Mutharika, who previously governed from 2014 to 2019, praised Chakwera’s statesmanship: “To my brother, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, I commend you for your gracious concession. You have demonstrated statesmanship, and your commitment to Malawi’s peace and democratic values deserves the highest respect. I thank you.”
Turning to governance, Mutharika pledged prudence, inclusion, competence, and service delivery. His immediate priorities include addressing food shortages, fuel and foreign exchange scarcities, and restoring economic stability.
He tempered expectations on campaign promises such as free secondary education, saying implementation would require significant funding and infrastructure.
Malawians voted amid a high cost of living and severe shortages of basic commodities such as maize, sugar, cooking oil, fuel, and foreign reserves.
Looking ahead, Mutharika expressed optimism: “I have no doubt we will rise to the challenge. With unity, discipline, and hard work, Malawi will move forward again.”
Out of 7.2 million registered voters, 5.5 million cast ballots, a 76.4% turnout. Mutharika won 3,035,249 votes (57%) against Chakwera’s 1,765,170 (33%), with 16 other presidential candidates trailing far behind.
