As Malawians prepare to cast their ballots on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the mood across the country is a far cry from the jubilant atmosphere that marked the last presidential election. Instead of lively campaign rallies and colorful parades, many citizens are more preoccupied with the snaking queues at petrol stations than with the lines at polling booths. The persistent fuel shortages, regular power cuts, and the ever-climbing cost of living have cast a long shadow over this year’s general election, dampening spirits and raising tough questions about the nation’s future.
According to BBC News, the fuel crisis has become so acute that patience among motorists is wearing thin, sometimes erupting into fistfights in the long lines that stretch around city blocks. President Lazarus Chakwera, who is seeking re-election, addressed the nation eight days before the polls, acknowledging the public’s frustration and offering a public apology. In his televised address, Chakwera blamed corrupt officials for sabotaging the oil market, signaling that he was aware of the political peril posed by the shortages.
But fuel isn’t the only thing in short supply. Malawi’s economic woes have deepened, with food costs rising more than 30% in the past year and fertilizer prices now six times higher than they were in 2019. The World Bank reported back in 2019 that more than 70% of Malawians lived on less than $2.15 per day—a grim statistic that has likely worsened as inflation and poverty have surged. The official unemployment rate hovers around 5%, but experts cited by The New York Times note that this figure masks the reality: most jobs are informal, and opportunities for young people are particularly scarce.
The stakes are high for the nation’s youth, who make up about half of registered voters. Many are frustrated by the lack of progress and the limited choices before them. Monica Chinoko, a 33-year-old worker in Lilongwe, told BBC News, “When young people cast their ballots next week, they should think about the poverty crisis. The coming president should fix the employment rate because many of the young people are unemployed.” Another voter, Ashley Phiri, 35, echoed the disillusionment: “Looking at the candidates—it’s really a tough choice to make because hope has been lost. We’ve been voting and voting but things haven’t gotten better. But I’m hoping that this time around, the next leader will radically transform Malawi.”
It’s a familiar cast of characters at the top of the ballot. The presidential race is shaping up as a rematch between incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, aged 70, and his predecessor Peter Mutharika, now 85. Chakwera, a former pastor, swept to power in a historic 2020 rerun after Malawi’s highest court nullified the 2019 election results due to significant irregularities—a rare and celebrated victory for democracy in Africa. Yet, as The New York Times points out, the sense of democratic triumph has faded. Chakwera has come under fire for appointing allies to the commission overseeing the election, and his opponents have accused him of manipulating the voter registration process and the new electronic vote-tallying system to his advantage. There are also allegations from opposition leaders that Chakwera’s party, the Malawi Congress Party, has used violent mobs to intimidate rivals.
Mutharika, the 85-year-old leader of the Democratic Progressive Party and a Yale-educated former law professor, is banking on nostalgia for his previous term. Many Malawians credit him with lowering inflation and improving public infrastructure between 2014 and 2019. His popularity is also buoyed by the legacy of his late brother, Bingu wa Mutharika, a former president remembered fondly by many. Supporters on the campaign trail have been vocal about their desire for a return to what they perceive as better times, with one rally attendee holding a sign reading “back to state house” and another elderly woman in Machinga highlighting the soaring price of fertilizer—a vital concern for the 80% of Malawians who depend on small-scale farming.
While there are 15 other presidential candidates, including former President Joyce Banda—Malawi’s only female head of state—most analysts expect the contest to be a two-way battle between Chakwera and Mutharika. Banda’s campaign has focused on fighting corruption, transforming the economy, and improving rural infrastructure, but the prevailing wisdom is that the real contest lies between the two political veterans. Other candidates, such as Atupele Muluzi, Dalitso Kabambe, and current Vice-President Michael Usi, have promised radical change, but face steep odds in a country where political loyalties and frustrations run deep.
The campaign itself has been notably subdued. BBC News describes a muted electioneering atmosphere, with fewer free T-shirts, sparse billboards, and a general sense that money is tight. The economic hardships have limited the usual carnival-like festivities, and many voters—especially the young—are finding it hard to muster enthusiasm. Instead, some young men have resorted to selling petrol and diesel on the black market at five times the official price, a desperate measure to make ends meet in the face of limited job opportunities.
Chakwera, for his part, is trying to win back public trust with bold promises. His headline policy is a pledge that the state will deposit 500,000 Malawi kwacha (about $290) into individual accounts for every child born after the election, funds that would become accessible when those children turn 18. He has also promised to bring down fertilizer prices for smallholder farmers through a targeted program set to begin next month. Yet these pledges are met with skepticism by those who remember his earlier promise to create one million jobs—a promise that remains unfulfilled.
The electoral process itself has changed since the contested 2019 vote. In response to the court’s intervention, Parliament passed a law requiring presidential candidates to secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright; otherwise, the top two candidates will face a runoff. Voters will also be electing members of Parliament and local ward councilors, with results required by law to be released within eight days of the vote.
As the nation stands at a crossroads, many Malawians are left wondering whether this election will bring the transformation they crave, or if the long queues and tough choices will continue to define everyday life. With the lines at petrol stations now rivaling the lines at polling stations, the outcome of Tuesday’s vote may well determine whether Malawi’s next chapter is one of hope—or more of the same struggles.