By Suleman Chitera
Blantyre, Malawi — The 2025 Malawi Presidential Debates will feature five top presidential candidates, the Debates Taskforce announced today. This platform aims to boost democratic participation by giving candidates with a realistic chance of winning a chance to clearly explain their policies and vision for Malawi’s future.
Golden Matonga, Chairperson of the Debates Taskforce, highlighted the importance of the debates, saying, “This is a unique opportunity for candidates to engage directly with Malawian voters and share strategies to address the country’s challenges.”
Initially, six candidates were invited, but the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) was dropped after partnering with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). This decision reduced the lineup to five candidates. Several political parties have already confirmed their participation, indicating high interest in this national event.
The Debates Taskforce is a joint effort by major media and civil society organizations, including MISA Malawi, the Media Council of Malawi, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Times Group, Zodiak Broadcasting Station, Nation Publications Limited, and Mibawa. The initiative also receives support from international partners such as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Wireless Support Network (Wesnet).
As Malawi prepares for the September 16 elections, these presidential debates offer voters a vital chance to compare candidates on key issues such as economic growth, education, healthcare, and governance. The debates will be broadcast live across multiple media platforms to ensure nationwide accessibility, encouraging an informed electorate.
With only weeks left before the polls, Malawians eagerly await to see which candidate will make the strongest case on this one stage and seize their chance to lead the country forward into a promising future.
