In his acceptance speech, Mutharika, 84, who was president from 2014 to 2020, vowed to rejuvenate Malawi’s faltering economy, which has been impacted by sluggish growth and shortages of foreign currency, fuel, and medicine.
He will compete against incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party, who is running for re-election in the September 16, 2025 election.
“We come from a history of opposition victories, and we plan to repeat that success,” Mutharika declared at his party’s national convention in Blantyre.
During his previous term, Mutharika made strides in infrastructure and reduced inflation, though he faced allegations of corruption and cronyism, which he has denied.
Chakwera, 69, is under criticism for not improving Malawi’s fragile economy despite his initial promises to tackle corruption and spur economic growth.
Plans have been announced by Mutharika to form an opposition alliance that will include the United Transformation Movement (UTM), a party founded by the late Vice President Saulos Chilima, who passed away in June.
Following Chilima’s death, the UTM, which once aided Chakwera in defeating Mutharika in 2020, has signaled its intent to exit the ruling alliance.
A confirmation of this potential alliance with Mutharika’s party could significantly alter the election dynamics.