Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has conceded defeat in last week’s election, acknowledging that his rival and predecessor Peter Mutharika had gained an “insurmountable lead.”
“A few minutes ago, I called Professor Mutharika to wish him well,” Chakwera said in a national address on Wednesday, hours before the electoral commission was due to announce the final results of the September 16 vote.
Chakwera, 70, of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), had taken power in 2020 after defeating Mutharika, a constitutional law expert from the Democratic Progressive Party.
The country’s struggling economy dominated the election, with critics accusing Chakwera of mismanagement, indecisiveness, and failing to tackle corruption or deliver on job creation promises. Inflation soared to 33 percent during his tenure, while the price of maize and fertiliser — staples in the agriculture-dependent nation — sharply increased.
“In the days that remain, I want you to know that I am committed to a peaceful transfer of power,” Chakwera said. “I know that many of you who supported my campaign for reelection will be disappointed.”
