Malawi’s incumbent President, Lazarus Chakwera, is facing increasing pressure to concede defeat to opposition leader and former President, Peter Mutharika.
Preliminary results from the September 16, 2025 election shows Mutharika is the winner.
But Chakwera has not accepted defeat as Malawi waits for official declaration.
Observers have cautioned that further delays in concession could undermine peace and democratic stability in Malawi.
Provisional figures released by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) show that Mutharika, representing the Democratic Progressive Party, has won about 66 percent of valid votes counted so far.
Chakwera, the Malawi Congress Party candidate, trails with just 24 percent, with results from a handful of districts still pending.
The Malawi Council of Churches (MCC) and former president Bakili Muluzi have publicly appealed to Chakwera to accept the outcome and congratulate Mutharika.
MCC chairperson Billy Gamah said the remaining tallies are unlikely to reverse the trend, describing a concession as “an act of statesmanship” that would promote calm and maturity among supporters.
“We believe that conceding early, even before the official announcement, will show maturity, promote peace and help the nation move forward without violence or unnecessary tension,” Gamah told local media.
Muluzi echoed the sentiment in an interview with the privately owned Zodiak Broadcasting Station, saying Chakwera should “allow the country to move on” and reminding him that “there is life after State House.”
The MEC has pledged transparency and accuracy in its final count amid heightened scrutiny following the annulment of Mutharika’s 2019 victory due to irregularities.
Chakwera won the 2020 re-run but his presidency has faced mounting criticism over economic hardships, including inflation, fuel shortages and power outages.
With Mutharika leading in 21 of the 24 councils tallied, pressure is mounting for a peaceful transition.
The final results of the presidential election are expected on Wednesday, with those for members of parliament due by 30 September and those for local government councillors expected over the next two weeks.
Source:Africa Publicity
