Malawi Vice-President Michael Usi to Challenge President Chakwera in September Polls

Malawi’s Vice-President Michael Usi has declared his bid to challenge President Lazarus Chakwera in the September elections. Running under a new party formed from a UTM split, Usi promised public service reform. He became VP after Saulos Chilima’s death and is now the second sitting VP to contest a sitting president. The move highlights growing rifts in the ruling coalition.

Malawi’s Vice-President Michael Usi has submitted his nomination papers to contest the presidency in the upcoming general elections scheduled for September. The development marks a significant moment in Malawi's political landscape, as Usi will be challenging the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, under whom he currently serves. Usi submitted his documents to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on Tuesday and used the occasion to outline his vision for the country. He promised to restore discipline and improve efficiency in public service delivery if elected into office. His remarks were reported by the national news agency, highlighting his commitment to addressing governance and service-related challenges in the country.

Michael Usi is standing as the presidential candidate for the newly formed political party, Odya Zake Alibe Mlandu. This party is a breakaway faction from the United Transformation Movement (UTM), a party that had previously been in coalition with President Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The emergence of Usi’s new political alignment signals growing rifts within the ruling coalition and may significantly reshape the electoral dynamics ahead of the polls.

In his statement after filing the nomination papers, Usi expressed gratitude to President Chakwera for the opportunity to serve as Vice-President and as Minister of State responsible for public service delivery. He acknowledged the trust placed in him by the president but made it clear that he believes the time has come for him to offer the Malawian people a new direction. Despite their current positions within the same administration, Usi’s decision to run against Chakwera underscores deep political shifts and personal ambition within Malawi's executive leadership.

Under Malawi’s legal framework, the president does not have the constitutional authority to dismiss the vice-president. This provision has allowed Usi to remain in office even as he positions himself in direct opposition to his current boss. His continued occupancy of the vice-presidency while running against the president is reminiscent of a similar situation in 2019, when the late Vice-President Saulos Chilima contested the presidency against then-incumbent President Peter Mutharika after a political fallout.

Michael Usi ascended to the office of Vice-President following the untimely death of Saulos Chilima in a military plane crash in 2023. Chilima’s tragic passing left a significant void in Malawi’s political leadership. In response, the UTM party nominated Usi to take over as Vice-President, given his senior status in the party and experience in government. If cleared by the electoral commission, Usi’s candidacy will represent only the second time in Malawi’s democratic history that a sitting vice-president has directly challenged the president in a general election.

The political history between Chilima and the presidency further contextualizes the current developments. In the 2019 general elections, then-Vice President Chilima contested against President Peter Mutharika after their political relationship deteriorated. Rather than resigning from his post, Chilima defied expectations, established the UTM party, and entered the presidential race. He ultimately placed third in that election. However, due to widespread irregularities, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the 2019 presidential election—a landmark decision in Malawi’s democratic journey.

Following the court’s ruling, a fresh election was conducted in 2020. In a surprising move, Chilima joined forces with Lazarus Chakwera and became his running mate under a coalition formed between the MCP and UTM. The alliance proved successful, securing a decisive victory and ushering in the current administration.

Since that time, however, cracks have appeared within the coalition. Chilima’s death in the 2023 military aircraft crash deepened tensions, leading to political fragmentation. The UTM’s decision to nominate Michael Usi as vice-president further widened the gap between the coalition partners. Now, Usi’s formal declaration to run for the presidency against Chakwera marks a new phase in this evolving political rivalry.

The coming months are expected to witness intense campaigning and political maneuvering as Malawi prepares for what may be one of the most competitive elections in its recent history.