By Burnett Munthali
Two retired Malawian leaders, Bakili Muluzi and Joyce Banda, have confirmed that they will attend the inauguration of Peter Mutharika as the country’s next president this coming Saturday in Blantyre.
The two leaders told the local media today that the swearing-in ceremony is an important national event that calls for unity among Malawians.
They emphasized that their attendance is motivated by a desire to promote peace, strengthen togetherness, and uphold democratic values.
Bakili Muluzi stated that he believes in democracy, and by attending the ceremony, he is also appealing to all leaders who did not win in the elections to participate in order to demonstrate unity.
He added that the event presents an opportunity for Malawians to rise above political differences and move forward as one nation.
The ceremony comes just days after Peter Mutharika was officially declared the winner of Malawi’s 2025 general elections by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
Mutharika, who led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) into the polls, secured victory in a tightly contested race that saw strong competition from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) led by Lazarus Chakwera and the United Transformation Movement (UTM).
According to MEC, Mutharika’s win was marked by a significant margin in key regions of the Southern and Eastern parts of the country, while his rivals performed strongly in the Central and Northern regions.
The elections were largely peaceful, though reports of logistical delays and isolated irregularities were raised by opposition parties.
International observers, including the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), described the elections as credible, transparent, and reflective of the will of the people, while urging all parties to accept the results and focus on national development.
Mutharika has promised to prioritize economic reforms, youth empowerment, and the fight against corruption during his new term in office.
However, uncertainty remains over whether former president Lazarus Chakwera will attend the ceremony.
Anthony Kasunda, a spokesperson for Chakwera, revealed that a formal letter has been issued regarding Chakwera’s attendance or absence from the event.
This development underscores the political divisions that continue to linger in the country following the election results, even as calls for national unity grow louder.
The attendance of Muluzi and Banda is therefore seen as a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and an effort to foster national healing in the aftermath of a competitive and sometimes tense election season.
