Pressure Mounts on Chakwera to Concede as Defeat Looms
The calls for President Lazarus Chakwera to concede defeat are growing louder and more urgent, with the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC) becoming the latest voice to demand that the incumbent bow out gracefully after the September 16 General Election.
MCC chairperson Reverend Billy Gamah minced no words in declaring that, based on the partial presidential results announced by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) last night, “the table cannot change to deliver victory” for Chakwera.
With former president Peter Mutharika already commanding an unassailable lead in 21 out of the 24 councils tallied, the church grouping says the responsible path for Chakwera is to publicly concede and call for calm among his supporters.
“A public statement by the President acknowledging defeat would not only be an act of statesmanship but also a powerful gesture to encourage his supporters to accept the outcome peacefully,” Reverend Gamah said.
“We believe that conceding early, even before the official announcement, will show maturity, promote peace, and help the nation move forward without violence or unnecessary tension.”
The MCC’s bold statement adds to mounting pressure on the incumbent, coming just hours after former president Bakili Muluzi confirmed that he had personally urged Chakwera to concede and call Mutharika to congratulate him. Muluzi argued that doing so would defuse political tensions and safeguard Malawi’s democratic stability, reminding Chakwera that “there is life after State House.”
The twin interventions — from the pulpit and from Malawi’s first multiparty president — send a powerful message at a time when the country is on edge, anxiously awaiting MEC’s final tally. Analysts note that Chakwera’s silence risks fuelling frustration among his base and heightening the possibility of post-election unrest.
With MEC legally bound to announce the final presidential results within eight days of polling, the pressure now falls squarely on Chakwera to decide whether to fight to the bitter end or to step aside and frame his exit as one of statesmanship and dignity.
For now, the message from Malawi’s moral and political elders is clear: concede, unite the nation, and let democracy move forward.