As Malawi heads toward its high-stakes general elections on September 16, 2025, two political giants—President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former president Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)—find themselves trapped in a dilemma that could define the future of their parties and the leadership of the country beyond 2030.
At the heart of this political conundrum is the choice of a running mate.
Both Chakwera, 70, and Mutharika, 84, are nearing the constitutional limit of their party leadership terms. Chakwera, who took over the MCP in 2013 and led it through three elections, is constitutionally due to step down after this upcoming term. Likewise, Mutharika, having assumed DPP leadership in 2012 after the death of his brother, is also poised for his final run.
This makes the 2025 running mate selection more than a matter of electoral arithmetic—it’s about succession. Whoever they pick is not only their deputy-in-waiting but a likely front-runner for the presidency in 2030. That is, if they win.
Political observers say the pressure has never been higher. The 50%+1 electoral threshold now demands strategic partnerships and broader appeal. And that means choosing a running mate who can pull votes from crucial blocs while also satisfying succession ambitions within the parties.
Political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche puts it bluntly: “For MCP and DPP, the choice of running mate is a matter of life and death. These candidates must not only help win the election, but be strong enough to lead the party post-2030.”
The situation is further complicated by party dynamics. Both parties have ambitious lieutenants waiting in the wings. Choosing an outsider might broaden the vote base, but it could trigger internal rebellions. Choosing an insider, meanwhile, could alienate potential alliance partners needed to push past the 50% mark.
In 2020, Mutharika partnered with Atupele Muluzi of UDF. This time, his party is again in talks with UDF, UTM, and AFORD. MCP, however, has yet to signal whether it will continue with the Tonse Alliance or go it alone.
Governance expert Ernest Thindwa says it’s a tricky balancing act: “While candidates may lean toward outsiders to maximize votes, internal succession politics might block such moves. The future of the party is at stake.”
And the numbers don’t lie. In the 2019 annulled polls, no single candidate reached 40 percent—Mutharika had 38.57%, Chakwera 35.41%, and Chilima’s UTM 20.24%. With such fragmentation, alliances and running mate choices are critical.
The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies even forecasts a potential second round due to the scattered vote, arguing smaller parties like UTM and UDF may emerge as kingmakers.
And yet, despite the high stakes, the two major contenders are tight-lipped. Behind the scenes, insiders whisper of turf wars, factional lobbying, and a deepening fear: if the wrong running mate is picked, it may not only cost them the election—but tear their party apart.
With over 7.2 million registered voters already on the roll (excluding flagged duplicates), the race is on. But for Chakwera and Mutharika, the battle may already be half-lost or half-won—depending on the name that lands on the ballot beneath theirs.
Because this time, the deputy could be the real ticket.
0 Comments