MALAWI’S main opposition party, the Democratic Progress Party (DPP), has endorsed former President Peter Mutharika as its candidate for the upcoming 2025 presidential election. The decision was made public on Sunday during the party’s national convention in Blantyre.
Mutharika, now 84, served as Malawi’s president from 2014 to 2020. In his acceptance speech, he pledged to revitalise Malawi’s struggling economy, which has been grappling with slow growth, foreign currency shortages, and subsequent fuel and medicine scarcities.
‘We come from a background of winning from the opposition. We will do the same next year. We are coming to fix the economy,’ Mutharika declared, expressing confidence in his party’s ability to return to power.
Mutharika’s tenure was marked by notable infrastructure improvements and a reduction in inflation. However, his administration was also marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism, charges that Mutharika has consistently denied.
In the 2025 election, Mutharika will face off against the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party. Chakwera, 69, who won the presidency in 2020 with promises to combat corruption and boost economic growth, has faced criticism for not delivering on these pledges as the country’s economy remains fragile.
Adding another layer to the upcoming election, Mutharika announced his intention to form an opposition alliance with the United Transformation Movement (UTM). The UTM was founded by the late Vice President Saulos Chilima, who played a crucial role in Chakwera’s 2020 victory but passed away in a tragic plane crash in June. Following Chilima’s death, the UTM expressed its intent to withdraw from the ruling alliance, raising the possibility of aligning with Mutharika’s DPP.
The UTM has not yet confirmed its alliance with Mutharika’s party, but such a coalition could significantly reshape the electoral landscape ahead of the vote scheduled for September 16, 2025. A spokesperson for the UTM did not respond to requests for comment on the potential partnership.
As the political landscape in Malawi evolves, all eyes are on the potential alliances and strategies that will shape the 2025 presidential race.
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