By Suleman Chitera
The organizers of the 2025 presidential debates have reaffirmed that the events will go ahead as scheduled, despite the withdrawal of two of Malawi’s major political parties.
Both the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have announced that their respective candidates will not take part in the debates, which are set to run between 21 August and 4 September 2025.
In a statement signed by Debate Task Force chairperson Golden Matonga, the organizing team stressed that the debates remain an essential part of Malawi’s democratic process.
“The debates serve as a crucial accountability mechanism that allow voters to make informed decisions and compel candidates to clarify their policy pledges,” said Matonga.
He further noted that the absence of two key parties would not derail the initiative, as the platform is open to all presidential hopefuls willing to engage with the electorate.
The task force believes that the debates will still provide voters with an important opportunity to scrutinize candidates, test their readiness to govern, and better understand their policy priorities ahead of the highly anticipated elections.
