Dear citizens of the Republic of Malawi and the Southern African Development Community
On 16th September 2025 the people of Malawi turned out to participate in the 2025 General Election to elect the President, Member of Parliament and Councillors of Local Government.
The SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) observed in its Preliminary Statement released on 18 September 2025 that the General Election was conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. In line with its practice, the SEOM has continued to be on the ground observing the post-election period, which to date, has reflected the spirit of peace. The SEOM noted the Malawi Electoral Commission had to process all the results in terms of the period stipulated in the electoral law of Malawi. The SEOM wishes to express its appreciation to the people of Malawi for their patience and calm as they waited for the announcement of the final results which took place in the evening of 24 September 2025.
The SEOM also noted that at mid-day on 24 September 2025, and prior to the announcement of the final results, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, addressed the nation. In his address H.E. Dr. Chakwera acknowledged that his main contender and President-elect, His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika had already secured an insurmountable lead and was the presumptive winner of the presidential election. H.E. Dr. Chakwera also informed the nation that he had called the President-elect to congratulate him, and wished him well as the seventh President of the Republic of Malawi.
On behalf of the people of the SADC Region, the SEOM welcomes and appreciates the leadership and the public gesture by H.E. Dr. Chakwera which entrenches respect for the will of the people of Malawi, constitutional values, and the overall spirit of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. In addition, the SEOM extends its profound gratitude to the Malawi nation for her people’s tolerance of divergent political views and democratic maturity, and urges all stakeholders to remain true to these attributes beyond the release of the final results, as they engage in their daily activities for the socio-economic development of Malawi and the SADC Region, whilst looking forward to a smooth transition.
24 SEPTEMBER 2025
