By AFP
LILONGWE, Malawi — Malawi heads to the polls Tuesday, with incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and former leader Peter Mutharika vying for a second chance to govern a nation hit hard by soaring costs and severe fuel shortages.
Seventeen candidates are on the ballot, but analysts say the race is effectively a duel between Chakwera and Mutharika, who also faced off in the 2019 vote, later nullified over irregularities and followed by a rerun.
Chakwera, 70, and Mutharika, 85, have campaigned on reviving Malawi’s agriculture-driven economy, battered by climate shocks and inflation topping 27 percent.
Both, however, face accusations of cronyism, corruption, and mismanagement during their first terms, leaving voters to choose what one commentator called “two disappointments.”
“Both men embody unfulfilled potential and dashed hopes, yet Malawians must still pick the lesser liability,” said political analyst Chris Nhlane.
The candidates drew large crowds at colourful weekend rallies, but many young voters remained unconvinced.
“I’d rather go to work than vote,” said entrepreneur Joseph, 30. “Nothing changes.”
With roughly 60 percent of Malawi’s 7.2 million registered voters under 35, youth activists have been pushing to overcome apathy. Polling opened at 6:00 am (0400 GMT).
“We are frustrated,” said youth activist Charles Chisambo, 34.
“Voting for Mutharika is just a desire for change. We need someone who can fix the economy.”
Malawi’s cost of living has surged 75 percent in the past year, according to the Centre for Social Concern, with two droughts and a cyclone in 2023 compounding hardship in a country where 70 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank.
Chakwera, of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) that led the nation to independence in 1964, has called for continuity to “finish what we started,” highlighting ongoing infrastructure projects.
“There have been complaints about food scarcity and the cost of living,” he told a Lilongwe rally. “I have heard you and we will fix things,” he added, blaming mismanagement within his administration.
He also announced a major cut in fertiliser costs, a key concern in Malawi’s agricultural sector.
Lydia Sibale, 48, a hospital administrator who spent an hour in a petrol queue, said she still trusted Chakwera. “The only challenge is the global economic crisis,” she said.
Chakwera won about 59 percent in the 2020 rerun, but some voters now recall Mutharika’s “relatively better administration,” according to analyst Mavuto Bamusi.
“Chakwera’s incumbency advantage has been undercut by poor economic performance,” Bamusi said.
Mutharika, speaking at a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rally in Blantyre, promised a “return to proven leadership” and economic reform.
“I want to rescue this country,” he told supporters. Student Thula Jere, 31, said, “I’ll vote for APM because he knows how to manage the economy and cares about Malawians’ welfare.”
With a winner needing more than 50 percent of votes, a run-off within 60 days is likely.
