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 has rated Malawi as "hybrid regime" in 2016.
Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the prime minister and later president of Malawi from 1964 to 1994. In 1966, the country became a republic and he became president.
Elson Bakili Muluzi is a Malawian politician who was the first freely elected President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004. He was also chairman of the United Democratic Front (UDF) until 2009. He succeeded Hastings Kamuzu Banda as Malawi's president. He also served in Banda's cabinet as Minister without Portfolio, before retiring in 1980.
General elections were held in Malawi on 20 May 2004 to elect a President and the National Assembly. The election had originally been scheduled for 18 May but was postponed for two days in response to opposition complaints of irregularities in the voter roll. By 22 May no results had been announced, leading to protests from the opposition and threats of disorder. On 25 May the Malawi Electoral Commission finally announced the results of the election. Bingu wa Mutharika, the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front, was declared the winner of the presidential poll, whilst the Malawi Congress Party had won most seats in the National Assembly vote. Voter turnout was around 62%.
The Alliance for Democracy is a political party in Malawi that marked its history as laying the foundation for multi-party rule in Malawi. It began as an underground political movement during the Kamuzu Banda era and later evolved to a political party during the multi-party era under the leadership of trade union activist, Chakufwa Chihana. AFORD has a stronghold in the northern region. The president is Godfrey Shawa.
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.
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian politician who was the President of Malawi from 7 April 2012 to 31 May 2014. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party, created in 2011. An educator and grassroots women's rights activist, she was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to April 2012.
Malawian-South African relations refers to the bilateral relationship between Malawi and South Africa. South Africa's first formal relationship with an independent African country was established with Malawi, beginning in 1967.
General elections were held in Malawi on 19 May 2009. Incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika ran for re-election; his main opponent was John Tembo, the president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Five other candidates also ran. The election was won by Mutharika, who was re-elected to the Presidency with around two-thirds of the vote. Mutharika's DPP also won a strong parliamentary majority.
General elections were held in Malawi on 17 May 1994. Following the restoration of democracy the previous year, they were the first multi-party elections in the country since prior to independence in 1964. The elections for President and the National Assembly were both won by the United Democratic Front (UDF), ending the 30-year rule of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Former President-for-life Hastings Banda, in power since independence, was defeated in the one-round presidential election by the UDF's Bakili Muluzi.
General elections were due to be held for the Legislative Council in Nyasaland on 28 April 1964, and would have been the first in the country under universal suffrage. However, there were no opposition candidates to either the Malawi Congress Party in the general roll seats, or the Nyasaland Constitutional Party in the special roll seats, resulting in all 53 candidates winning without votes being cast.
General elections were due to be held in Malawi on 17 April 1971, the first since the pre-independence elections in 1964. The Malawi Congress Party had been the only legally permitted party in the country since 1966. Each of the 60 constituencies had three to five candidates nominated by party committees. These candidates were then submitted to President Hastings Banda, who selected a single candidate for each seat. As there was only one candidate for each constituency, no voting actually took place on election day, as there was no opposition.
General elections were held in Malawi on 29 June 1978. As the country had become a one-party state in 1966, the Malawi Congress Party was the sole legal party at the time. However, unlike the two previous elections, in which President-for-life Hastings Banda had selected a single candidate for each constituency, in this election there was more than one nominated candidate in 47 of the 87 seats. Candidates ran unopposed in 33 of the remaining seats, and seven were left vacant as the candidates failed the English proficiency test. Of the estimated 3,000,000 registered voters, around 371,000 cast votes.
General elections were held in Malawi on 29 and 30 June 1983. As the country had become a one-party state in 1966, the Malawi Congress Party was the sole legal party at the time. The number of seats was increased to 101, whilst President-for-life Hastings Banda was able to appoint as many additional members as he saw fit to "enhance the representative character of the Assembly, or to represent particular minority or other special interests in the Republic." Ultimately, an additional 11 members were appointed.
General elections were held in Malawi on 27 and 28 May 1987. As the country had become a one-party state in 1966, the Malawi Congress Party was the sole legal party at the time. The number of seats in the National Assembly was increased to 112, whilst President-for-life Hastings Banda was able to appoint as many additional members as he saw fit to "enhance the representative character of the Assembly, or to represent particular minority or other special interests in the Republic."
General elections were held in Malawi on 20 May 2014. They were Malawi's first tripartite elections, the first time the President, National Assembly and local councillors were elected on the same day. The presidential election was won by opposition candidate Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party, who defeated incumbent President Joyce Banda.
General elections will be held in Malawi on 21 May 2019 to elect the President, National Assembly and local government councillors.
