Malawians head to the voting booths in 8 days’ time!
By Janet Karim
15 And if it seems evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. — Joshua 24:15
Out of 7,162,217 million Malawians that registered to vote for the elections on September 14, 2025, a whooping 4,093,369 of them being women. This 4m+ presence on the voter roll gives women a 57.2 percent advantage over their male counterparts. This being the case, one would think, hope or dream that it is a GIVEN CONCLUSION that women candidates will get the lion’s share of the votes. Sadly, in the example of the Bingu wa Mutharika/Joyce Banda ticket in 2009, Bingu got a landslide. Because of Joyce Banda. Not so fast gender champions of Malawi, not so fast! Both before and after 2009, women who have all throughout our voting history, have not always voted for women candidates up and down the ballot box ticket.
While the Malawi 2025 elections will be the second elections that require presidential aspirants to get 50+1 of the votes, the country has held 7 presidential elections and 5 Parliamentary and Councilor elections. Women, despite their hefty registered voter presence, would garner mass space in the outcome of the elections. They have not; Malawi has yet to reach the 30 percent of women in elected and decision-making spaces.
Kamunkhwala Selenje paints brief on Malawi Elections for the upcoming Lost History Foundation Zoom meeting (September 11, 2025) on Malawi’s elections, and hosted by Paliani Chinguwo.Selenje writes “Elections are more than political events—they are milestones that chart the nation’s democratic journey. In Malawi, that journey began before independence, with two national elections held prior to 6 July 1964. The country’s first presidential election took place in April 1966, when Dr. Kamuzu Banda was elected unopposed by Parliament as President Designate and sworn in on 6 July 1966 as the first President of the Republic of Malawi. What followed was a dramatic constitutional shift: the 1971 amendment that conferred upon Dr Kamuzu Banda the title of Life President for the Republic.
“From 1971 to 1994, eight national elections were conducted. The democratic breakthrough of 1993-1994 opened a new chapter—seven competitive presidential and parliamentary elections have been held since 1994, each reflecting both the progress and challenges of Malawi’s democratic consolidation. Spanning from parliamentary elections of August 1961 to the September 2025 polls, this (Zoom)presentation revisits the country’s electoral history, drawing connections between past and present, and asking what lessons this long arc of voting can offer for the nation’s future.”
The last part asks “what lessons this long arc of voting can offer for the nation’s future?” The question got me back to the figures 4.09 million out of 7.1 million voters; 57 percent of registered voters are women. To be declared the winner of a presidential race, a 2020 law on presidential elections requires candidates to get 50+1 of votes.
In the recent past, political parties formed alliances (e.g. Tonse Alliance). In 2025, four million women out of a total seven million registered to voters, is grand ‘food for thought’ for all champions of gender equality. DO THE SIMPLE MATH: half of 7 million (all registered voters) is 3,500,000; and 4 million (women who registered to vote) is more than half of 7 million.
Getting the gender thinking cap on: 4.09 million women have registered.
Going back to before democracy and the Kamuzu Banda one-party state, women did occupy political spaces with a few ascending to decision-making spaces; but the majority of these women were nominated Members of Parliament, with a very few scattered here and there in the professional and other areas like banks. The reason for this (and it still lurks its ugly head – EVERYWHERE), has been women do not like women in power positions. Malawi’s Oxfam Country Director Ms. Linga Mihowa recently said that both men and women Malawi voters prefer voting for men to leadership positions. This is an old archaic social bias toward men in political, cultural, and religious circles.
Ironically, former President Bingu wa Mutharika featured a woman running mate (Joyce Banda) on his ballot, and got himself comfortably through to the landslide winning door in 2009. All things being equal, the woman factor is despite the before and after democracy considerations, candidates this time around, have featured women on the ballot papers as either the candidate, running mates or second vice President (remember this can of worms called Second Vice President?). It still sits proudly in our Constitution, so some parties have named a 2nd VP mate (or mate #2).
The leading five political parties candidates on the 2025 Election Ballot papers are as following:
1. Malawi Congress Party (MCP) – Incumbent president, Lazarus Chakwera; VP: Vitumbiko Mumba, 2nd VP: Catherine Gotani Hara.
2. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)– Peter Mutharika; VP: Dr. Jane Ansah.
3. People Party (PP) – Joyce Banda; VP: Khumbo Kachali.
4. United Transformation Movement (UTM) – Dalitso Kabambe; VP: Dr. Matthews Mtumbuka.
5. United Democratic Front (UDF) – Atupele Muluzi; VP: Dr. Rex Kalolo
The first presidential debate took place on august 21, 2025 at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC). Regrettably, during the first debates, both MCP and DPP presidential candidates did not participate. It remains to be seen whether they will take part in the second and last Presidential Debate that is earmarked for September 9, 2025.
Last words about elections: prayers are out for continued peaceful campaigning and acceptance of genuinely called. And to the Malawi Police: please more professional security service continuation of Keeping Malawi safe and secure.
Last, last words: the Parliament in the country must revisit its election dates scheduling. Just like organizers of international events avoid setting up activities around Christman or Good Friday, September is an awkward time for elections. Since its inception, the UN has held its annual Summit in September when over 190 national leaders gather in New York at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). For a country to schedule elections during August and September is awkward as it prevents new or returning national leaders from attending the function.
May Malawians choose. May they choose wisely! Long live genuine democracy!
