Malawi Heads to the Polls in High-Stakes Election Amid Economic Turmoil

Polls opened early Tuesday in Malawi as millions of voters cast their ballots in a tense presidential election that’s shaping up to be a rematch between two familiar faces, incumbent Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika, in a nation struggling under the weight of a battered economy, climate shocks, and growing frustration from its young population.

Polling stations opened at 6:00am local time (04:00 GMT), with 17 candidates on the ballot, though analysts say this is essentially a two-man race.

Both Chakwera, 70, and Mutharika, 85, are vying for what would be a second shot at leading the southern African country of 21 million, where 70% of people live in poverty and the cost of living has surged by 75% in just one year.

But this isn’t a classic battle of fresh vs familiar, both men have already held power, and both are tainted by allegations of corruption, cronyism, and economic mismanagement.

“It’s a choice between two disappointments,” said political commentator Chris Nhlane.

Despite large rallies over the weekend, young voters remain disillusioned. With 60% of registered voters under 35, youth activists are pushing hard to turn out the vote.

“We are frustrated,” said Charles Chisambo, 34. “We don’t need a leader — we need someone who can fix the economy.”

Malawi’s economy is reeling from two consecutive droughts and a devastating cyclone in 2023. Inflation is currently over 27%, and fuel shortages have led to long queues at petrol stations.

The Central African nation, heavily reliant on agriculture, has seen its staples become unaffordable for many.

President Chakwera, leader of the Malawi Congress Party, has campaigned on “continuity”, citing infrastructure projects and a last-minute fertiliser price drop as proof of progress.

This is the first national election since Malawi’s 2019 vote was nullified due to fraud, and redone in 2020 — a landmark moment for democracy on the continent. Chakwera won that rerun with 59% of the vote.

But five years later, with the bar for victory set at 50% plus one, a run-off election within 60 days looks likely.