No Winner Yet as Experts Sees Malawi Set for Historic Presidential Re-Run

Malawians should brace for a run-off presidential election as fresh projections show neither President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera nor his main challenger, former President Arthur Peter Mutharika, is on course to hit the decisive 50%+1 threshold.

Almost all tally snapshots from party centres, observers, and independent monitors indicate a razor-thin contest between the two heavyweights. President Chakwera is consistently polling between 47 and 49 percent, while Mutharika is hovering around 43 to 45 percent.

“Malawians will vote again, that is a fact. The two top candidates must brace themselves for another grueling campaign trail over the next 60 days. Their strength has become almost equal in this election,” said political scientist John Makwenda, who has worked with institutions including the Catholic University of Malawi, Makerere University, University of Zimbabwe, and Rhodes University.

Since Malawians cast their ballots on Tuesday, September 16, both the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have prematurely claimed victory, fueling confusion among supporters.

But Makwenda issued a sharp warning: “The two parties are wrong. Celebrating immaturely only exposes their unreadiness to accept the outcome. They should avoid taking such a dangerous path before the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) declares the official results.”

If confirmed, this would mark the first presidential run-off in Malawi’s history under the 50%+1 rule. The threshold was first applied in 2020, when Chakwera comfortably won with 58 percent of valid votes.

This time, however, the battle is shaping up as a photo finish, and Malawians may have to return to the polls for a second round.