Politics
Malawi has a multi-party system with over 40 registered political parties.The political process in Malawi is such that parties are voted into power. Parties participate in an electoral process. The parties with the most representation in the National Assembly are the People’s Party (PP), Malawi Congress Party (MCP), United Democratic Front (UDF), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
President of Malawi
Under the country’s 1966, 1994 and 1995 constitutions, the President is executive head of state. The first President was elected by the National Assembly, but later presidents were elected in direct popular elections for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy, the Vice-President becomes President.
| ? | President (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in Office | ||||||
| 1 | Hastings Banda (1899–1997) [1] |
6 July 1966 | 24 May 1994 | 27 years,319 days | Malawi Congress Party | |||
| 2 | Bakili Muluzi (1942–) |
24 May 1994 | 24 May 2004 | 10 years,3 days | 1994 1999 |
United Democratic Front | ||
| 3 | Bingu wa Mutharika (1934–2012) |
24 May 2004 | 5 April 2012 (died in office.) |
7 years,316 days | 2004 | United Democratic Front | ||
| 2009 | Democratic Progressive Party [2] | |||||||
| 4 | Joyce Banda (1949–) |
7 April 2012 | 31 May 2014 | 2 years,54 days | – | People’s Party | ||
| 5 | Peter Mutharika (1939–) |
31 May 2014 | Incumbent | 4 years,103 days | 2014 | Democratic Progressive Party | ||
Standards
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Chakwera overtakes APM in new opinion poll
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-A new survey carried out by a consortium of local and foreign…
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2025 Presidential Debate: Muluzi, Kabambe outline strategies for disaster management and economic growth
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-During the ongoing presidential debate, United Democratic Front (UDF) leader Atupele Muluzi…
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Chakwera pledges to restore Nsanje’s township status
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to reviving Nsanje District’s…
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UTM dismisses claims of lacking structures, calls on Malawians to vote for Kabambe
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala has rubbished assertions that the party lacks structures,…
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Final 2025 Malawi Presidential debate is back
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-This evening, leaders of various political parties gathered at the Bingu International…
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Chakwera drops fertilizer price, to fire rogue fuel crisis instigators
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has declared that fertilizer under the Affordable Input Programme…
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Chakwera blames opposition and traders for fertilizer price hikes amid fuel crisis
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday, 8 September 2025, addressed the nation in…
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Chisomo Nkhata quits UTM after being dropped from Lilongwe Mlodza Candidancy
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Chisomo Nkhata, a UTM aspirant in Lilongwe Mlodza Constituency, has announced that…
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Chakwera graces national prayers for peace ahead of polls
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera is this Monday afternoon, September 8, gracing National Prayers…
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Lungu Family Lawyer challenges Zambia’s attempt to enforce burial laws in South African Court
LUSAKA-(MaraviPost)-Constitutional and human rights questions have emerged in the South African High…














