Politics of Malawi takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic,whereby the President of Malawi is both head of state and head of government,and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. There is a cabinet of Malawi that is appointed by the President of Malawi. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The government of Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Malawi a "hybrid regime" in 2022.
Malawi elects on the national level a head of state and government –the president –and a national assembly. The President and members of the National Assembly,elected simultaneously at a General Election,together form the Malawi Parliament owing to the presidents dual role as head of government and head of state. In practice however,the National Assembly is on par with the executive and is able to exercise oversight functions through investigations and public hearings on various matters including those involving the executive.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is a political party in Malawi. It was formed as a successor party to the banned Nyasaland African Congress when the country,then known as Nyasaland,was under British rule. The MCP,under Hastings Banda,presided over Malawian independence in 1964,and from 1966 to 1993 was the only legal party in the country. It has continued to be a major force in the country since losing power.
The Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE) is a political party in Malawi. In the general elections on 20 May 2004,the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition,that won 27 out of 194 seats.
The People's Transformation Party (PETRA) is a political party in Malawi. In the last general elections on 20 May 2004,the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition,that won 27 out of 194 seats.
The People's Progressive Movement (PPM) is a political party in Malawi. At the elections of 20 May 2004,its candidate for president Aleke Banda won 2.5% and the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition,that won 27 out of 194 seats. Aleke Banda was the close friend of hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1956. He was among the people who founded the Nyasaland Congress Party. He was also saved as Ministry of Agriculture in the United Democratic Front (UDF) during Bakali Muluzi's time. He left UDF together with Mark Katsonga Phiri and formed their party after there was disagreement with Muluzi about the Presidency of Bingu wa Munthalika.
John Zenus Ungapake Tembo is a Malawian politician who served for years as President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Tembo comes from the Dedza District in central Malawi,and he is a teacher by profession. Beginning in the 1960s he was an important politician in Malawi,and he was a key figure in the regime of Hastings Banda (1964–1994). He has been variously described as "physically slight,ascetic,fastidious" and "cunning". He was replaced as President of the MCP in August 2013.
Arthur Peter Mutharika is a Malawian politician and lawyer who was President of Malawi from May 2014 to June 2020. Mutharika has worked in the field of international justice,specialising in international economic law,international law and comparative constitutional law. He informally served as an adviser to his older brother,President Bingu wa Mutharika,on issues of foreign and domestic policy from the onset of his election campaign until the President's death on 5 April 2012.
The Cabinet of Malawi is the executive branch of the government,made up of the President,Vice President,Ministers and Deputy Ministers responsible for the different departments.
Sidik Mia was a Malawian businessman,politician,and Member of Parliament who held various ministerial positions within the Cabinet of Malawi beginning in 2004,serving as Minister of Transport and Public Works since June 2020. He was the Deputy President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) until his death due to COVID-19 related illness on 12 January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi. He stood as the vice presidential running mate to Dr. Lazarus Chakwera in the 2019 Malawian general election.
Nancy Tembo is a Malawian politician and serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Malawi Government since 2022. She is also a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Lilongwe City South West constituency in the National Assembly of the Republic of Malawi.
Saulos Klaus Chilima is a Malawian economist and politician who is the incumbent vice president of the Republic of Malawi. Chilima assumed office on 28 June 2020,winning the majority alongside presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera. Chilima also served as the Minister of Economic Planning and Development,as well as Head of Public Sector Reforms,a position he also previously held under the administration of former president Peter Mutharika. Before joining politics,Chilima held key leadership positions in various multi-national companies including Unilever,Coca-Cola and Airtel Malawi,where he rose to become Chief Executive Officer.
Richard Msowoya is a Malawian politician who served as Speaker of the National Assembly of Malawi from 2014 to 2019.
General elections were held in Malawi on 21 May 2019 to elect the President,National Assembly and local government councillors. Incumbent President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party was re-elected,with his party remaining the largest in the National Assembly. However,on 3 February 2020,the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential election results due to evidence of irregularities,and ordered fresh elections be held. They were widely dubbed the "Tipp-Ex elections" after a brand of correction fluid which opponents claimed had been used to tamper with votes.
Eisenhower Nduwa Mkaka of Lilongwe is a Malawian politician who is a Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Mpenu Constituency and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In January 2022,Mkaka was appointed Minister of Natural resources after a cabinet reshuffle. Mkaka also holds the position of Secretary General for the ruling Malawi Congress Party.
Presidential elections were held in Malawi on 23 June 2020,having originally been scheduled for 19 May and later 2 July. They followed the annulment of the results of the 2019 presidential elections,in which Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party had received the most votes.
Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda is a Malawian politician. In 2020 she became Minister of Health in Malawi.
The United Transformation Movement (UTM) is a political party in Malawi founded by Saulos Chilima,Vice President of Malawi.
Vera Kamtukule is a Malawian author,writer,publisher,activist and politician,who holds a ministerial position in the Cabinet of Malawi. Vera Kamtukule was appointed minister of Tourism on 31 January 2023. Until her appointment Vera served as the Minister Labour since 26 January 2022 and as deputy Minister of Labour following the 2020 Malawian presidential election. In 2021 Vera Kamtukule assumed her role as Chair of the SADC Employment and Labour Sector.
Timothy Mtambo of Chitipa is a Malawian politician and serves as Minister of Civic Education and National Unity in Malawi government since 2020. Prior to active politics,Mtambo was a human rights activist. He is mostly known for the role he played by leading demonstrations against the regime of President Peter Mutharika,accusing the regime of nepotism and corruption. Mtambo also holds the position of Commander in Chief of Citizen for Transformation Movement (CFT).
