Malawi President Chakwera Concedes Election Defeat to Mutharika Amid Pending Official Results

Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has conceded defeat in the 2025 presidential election to former President Peter Mutharika, who leads with about 66% of the votes compared to Chakwera's 24%. Chakwera acknowledged the results out of respect for the citizens' will and the constitution after the Malawi Electoral Commission communicated the official figures to him. Despite initial resistance and alleged complaints of irregularities from Chakwera's party, the courts dismissed injunctions to delay the announcement of results, and Chakwera agreed to concede publicly. The Malawi Council of Churches and former President Bakili Muluzi urged Chakwera to concede gracefully to promote peace and stability, emphasizing the importance of a peaceful transition. Mutharika's victory is seen as a landslide, with him sweeping the northern and southern regions, while Chakwera's party lost key central districts amid widespread criticism of his administration for corruption and economic troubles. The calls for calm and acceptance of the election results highlight the desire to maintain Malawi's democratic stability and avoid unrest.