LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Electoral Commission’s 30 June 2026 by-election results across five constituencies and wards reveal a fragmented political landscape in which the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) topped party vote share, while Independent candidates collectively rivaled it for overall support.
In total, 49,388 valid votes were cast across Lilongwe City Bwaila, Balaka Mulunguzi, Machinga Mikoko, Kanjuli Ward, and Uliwa Ward.
The Democratic Progressive Party secured 17,972 votes, representing 36.4 percent of the aggregate vote, to finish first among organized political parties.
Independent candidates collectively amassed 17,876 votes, or 36.2 percent, placing them just 96 votes behind the DPP and underscoring a decisive voter shift toward non-party alternatives.
The United Democratic Front emerged as the third strongest party formation with 5,738 votes, equivalent to 11.6 percent of all ballots cast.
The Malawi Congress Party followed with 4,874 votes, or 9.9 percent, reflecting a limited presence outside its Lilongwe City Bwaila stronghold.
The People’s Party recorded 3,157 votes, or 6.4 percent, driven largely by its victory in Karonga South’s Uliwa Ward.
The United Transformation Movement trailed with 771 votes, or 1.6 percent, indicating minimal penetration in the contested areas.
The DPP’s performance was anchored by victories in Balaka Mulunguzi with 7,311 votes and Kanjuli Ward with 2,351 votes, and by competitive second-place finishes in Lilongwe City Bwaila and Uliwa Ward.
Independents demonstrated their strength by winning Machinga Mikoko with 4,940 votes and by fielding multiple competitive candidates who collectively outpolled every party except the DPP.
The UDF’s 11.6 percent share was boosted by a near-win in Machinga Mikoko, where its candidate fell only 81 votes short of victory.
The MCP’s 9.9 percent was concentrated in Lilongwe City Bwaila, where it won with 4,707 votes, but the party struggled elsewhere, managing only 101 votes in Machinga Mikoko and 66 votes in Uliwa Ward.
The People’s Party’s 6.4 percent was defined by its 2,800-vote win in Uliwa Ward, while its showing in other contests remained marginal.
The UTM’s 1.6 percent reflected scattered support across four contests, with its highest single result being 364 votes in Lilongwe City Bwaila.
The overall pattern shows a two-horse race between the DPP and Independents, with the UDF positioned as a distant but relevant third force, and the MCP, PP, and UTM competing for smaller niches.
These results suggest that party loyalty is being tested by candidate-centered voting, particularly in rural and peri-urban constituencies where Independents captured more than one in every three votes cast.
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