From UTM Party presidential candidate Dalitso Kabambe’s choice of engineer Matthews Mtumbuka to Malawi Congress Party torchbearer Lazarus Chakwera settling for engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, the newly unveiled running mates have left the electorate’s tongues wagging about what could turn out to be a razor-sharp contest on September 16.
As the race intensifies, the spotlight is no longer only on the presidential candidates destined for the ballot paper, but also the figures standing just beside them.
Since the restoration of democracy in 1994, Malawi’s history offers a cautionary tale.
Throughout, what starts as a united front on the campaign trail has too often unravelled in office.
The country has witnessed a string of high-profile fallouts, from Bakili Muluzi’s clash with his chosen vice-president Justin Malewezi in the countdown to the 2004 elections to Bingu wa Mutharika court tussle with Cassim Chilumpha and expulsion of Joyce Banda.
Similarly, Peter Mutharika’s relationship with the late Saulos Chilima soured ahead of the 2019 elections, with the latter forming UTM and partnering with President Lazarus Chakwera in the 2020 court-ordered fresh presidential election.
Now, voters are watching if the highly rated partnerships in the run-up to the September vote will survive the historical breakdowns beyond the polling day.
In a country where the vice-presidency has often been what Malewezi termed “a poisoned chalice”, the choice of running mate says a lot about a candidate’s leadership style, strategic thinking and appetite for shared power.
Now the big question is no longer just ‘who will win?’, but ‘can they work together if they do?’
Generational fusion
President Chakwera, 70, stunned many when he named Minister of Trade and Industry Mumba, 41, as his running mate.
The move signals a generational shift, with the incumbent positioning his chosen one as a reformist and a bridge between old political guards and Malawi’s youthful electorate.
The President ascended to the helm with a wish to be the last Malawian born before independence in 1964 to rule the 61-year-old nation, formerly Nyasaland.
Mumba’s rise has been rapid and controversial. He openly clashed with MCP leaders, resigned from the politburo and sued the party over the mishandling of primary elections in his Mzimba Central Constituency.
Yet analysts hail the decision as politically astute.
“Against all odds, Mumba’s selection is an electoral calculation,” says political analyst Ernest Thindwa. “He’s demonstrated potential to mobilise voters.”
Political analyst George Chaima, terms the Chakwera-Mumba ticket “a winning formula”, citing the minister’s popularity among the youth.
Mumba’s leadership dates back to his university days in 2004 when he was elected president of the students’ union at the Polytechnic, then college of the unbundled University of Malawi.
Political scientist Wonderful Mkhutche observes that Mumba’s unveiling has revived Chakwera’s image.
“His clarity and energy resonate with the reform-hungry youth,” he says.
Still, enthusiasm isn’t everything. “Whether that energy can convert to votes remains to be seen,” Thindwa cautioned.
Professor Nandini Patel believes the Chakwera-Mumba ticket balances political experience with technocratic ability. “It’s one of the well-matched duos in terms of leadership complementarity,” she said.
For the pairing to work, insiders say Chakwera must allow his running mate real space to lead what he terms the public service reforms agenda—a test once left to Chilima, but bizarrely withdrawn amid a corruption allegations that fell flat in court and only succeeded to show warps at the helm.
Rivals-turned-mates
In UTM, first-timer Kabambe surprised many onlookers by picking fellow political rookie Mtumbuka, who contested against him at the party convention in Mzuzu for the presidency.
This marked the first time in Malawi’s multiparty era that a victor has handpicked a challenger to prop up his chances to rise to the top.
“We are not here to settle old scores,” Kabambe told supporters. “We are here to settle Malawi’s future.”
Mtumbuka, who led the Polytechnic Students’ Union battle against a 300 percent university fees hike in 2000, closely aligned with Chilima, who died in a plane crash on June 10 last year.
The Oxford-trained engineer brings moral gravitas and private sector experience having led major tech and energy ventures both at home and abroad.
Kabambe, on the other hand, is an economist who once headed the Reserve Bank of Malawi, keeping the now runaway inflation in the single-digit band for nearly a decade.
UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala said the former central bank governor considered over 21 names before settling on Mtumbuka.
“This wasn’t about ego. It was about trust and performance,” he states.
Analysts agree the ticket is intellectually solid.
“UTM’s choice is the best overall,” said Mkhutche. “Two giants with professional abilities, but their strength is largely on paper.”
And Thindwa concurs: “Their credentials are solid, but UTM lacks a rooted political tradition and grounded institutional memory, which could limit their traction.”
For Patel, that is “a big test”.
“They’re energetic and credentialled, but new to political structures,” she says.
Still, if their technocratic synergy translates to political success, the Kabambe-Mtumbuka partnership could reshape expectations of presidential teamwork.
Legal brains or relics?
Former president Peter Mutharika’s choice was the most discussed until Kabambe and Chakwera unveiled their well-received running mates.
To the surprise of the nation, the ex-president settled on retired justice of the Supreme Court Jane Ansah, the former Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson who declared him the winner in the 2019 presidential election nullified by the courts.
The court cited widespread and irretrievable irregularities when it cancelled Mutharika’s narrow re-election amid serial mass protests.
For eight months, marchers accused Ansah of favouring Mutharika having been photographed posing for cameras with members of his Democratic Progressive Party.
While their bond appears strong, Ansah’s role in the disputed 2019 elections remains a flashpoint.
“They’re unlikely to clash,” said a DPP insider. “But they may struggle to connect with a public that wants fresh leadership and still remembers her role in the nullified election.”
Their pairing emphasises legal order and loyalty, but may lack the broad public appeal needed in 2025.
“Ansah’s appeal appears limited to the party base,” warns Mkhutche. “She may not be the asset Mutharika needs to regain national support.”
Patel agrees: “Their background is heavily legal. It’s a capable team, but lacks diversity of perspective. And public sentiment may still be influenced by 2019 events.”
Still, the pair’s experience and administrative know-how could attract voters who value order and continuity.
Reunion of pragmatists?
Former president Joyce Banda’s return to Khumbo Kachali marks a dramatic political reunion.
The two led the People’s Party in 2012 when Banda rose to power following Bingu’s death, but split in 2014 when Banda opted for a different running mate.
Kachali is a veteran mobiliser in the North while Banda retains residual goodwill among older voters and women.
Their renewed alliance suggests unfinished business and a resolve to stay relevant. Both are seasoned enough to keep wrangles behind closed doors, but whether their reconciliation is genuine or strategic remains to be seen.
On her part, Professor Patel describes the ticket as strong on political mobilisation, but weaker on policy direction. “It’s a familiar combination, but not necessarily visionary.”
Still, the duo reflects a broader trend.
“It’s refreshing that most parties didn’t just recycle party vice presidents,” observed Chaima. “And there’s better gender representation overall, than in past elections.”
As campaign season heats up, attention is shifting from crowds and slogans to the substance of leadership pairs. Voters, once content with symbolic alliances, now demand authentic collaboration.
“Running mates are not ceremonial,” said Dr Boniface Dulani of the Institute of Public Opinion and Research.
“They influence decisions, appointments and help steer the country during crises.”
Indeed, political scientists say 2025’s pairings suggest parties are taking the vice presidency more seriously. Still, some warn the ultimate test lies beyond campaign stages.
“What’s clear is that voters want more than choreographed unity,” said Mkhutche. “They want partnerships that can endure, deliver and govern together.”
Patel agrees: “This year’s running mate selections show deeper thought. Now it’s up to voters to decide which duo truly belongs in State House.”
