Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor Peter Mutharika have shunned tonight’s presidential debate in Lilongwe meant to enable candidates in the September 16 General Election articulate their agenda to the electorate.
By close of business yesterday, only United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate Atupele Muluzi and UTM Party torchbearer Dalitso Kabambe had confirmed their participation while former president Joyce Banda said she would decide on her availability today.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila said in a statement last evening that Chakwera, the party’s candidate, will not participate in the series of presidential debates lined up between August 21 and September 4 2025 by the Presidential Debates Task Force.
She said while the party strongly supported initiatives which give the electorate opportunity to appreciate candidates’ policies, such arrangements in the electoral calendar require an inclusive and consultative process to render credibility and trust to the whole initiative.
| Courtesy of the Presidential Debates Task Force
Reads the statement: “The MCP and its presidential candidate are fully committed and ready to be accountable to the electorate through various elections related initiatives that are transparent, consultative and inclusive.”
In an interview yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said the party’s torchbearer Mutharika will not attend the debate regardless of whether the party was invited or not.
He claimed that past experience has shown that the debates are not an objective platform because some candidates are given questions in advance; hence, DPP’s policy not to participate.
“After all what Malawians want is action and whether the candidate has experience and knowledge. The debate will only produce promises,” said Namalomba.
Ironically, both Chakwera and Mutharika actively participated in the debates when they were in opposition.
Atupele, in an interview yesterday, confirmed his participation as did UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala who said Kabambe will be in attendance.
On the other hand, Banda, who is People’s Party presidential candidate and sole female in the race, said she was still in the Eastern Region conducting campaign rallies and was not sure about her participation.
She said: “I will know in the morning whether I will attend or not considering the debate is in the evening. But I haven’t even seen the invitation though I know our secretary general was informed through a phone call.”
In an interview yesterday, 2025 Presidential Debates Task Force chairperson Golden Matonga said the Centre for Multiparty Democracy extended invitations to all five parties that were represented in Parliament, namely MCP, DPP, PP, UDF and UTM.
He said three parties signed contracts committing their candidates’ participation, one verbally confirmed while another was yet to confirm.
Matonga, who is also Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa)-Malawi Chapter chairperson, said the task force will continue to engage all parties to participate.
“For democracy to be functional there should be accountability and debates are one way for candidates to present themselves to voters,” she said.
Matonga dismissed claims about lack of objectivity stating that all parties which signed commitments were given issue papers on the topics to be discussed and all participants are being treated equally.
Tonight’s debate will focus on the economy, good governance and provision of social services, according to organisers.
In the run up to the 2019 elections, Mutharika, who was the incumbent president and his running mate Everton Chimulirenji, shunned the debates while in the 2014 elections he attended.
Similarly, Banda did not attend the presidential debates held ahead of the 2014 elections whe she was in power.
The Presidential Debates Task force members include Centre for Multiparty Democracy, which deputises Misa Malawi, Malawi Human Rights Commission, Malawi Law Society, Public Affairs Committee, Media Council of Malawi, NGO Gender Coordination Network and National Youth Council of Malawi.
Other members are Political Science Association of Malawi, National Initiative for Civic Education Trust, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Times Group, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Civil Society Agriculture Network and NextGen Leaders Association.
The task force managed similar debates in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
