Presidential candidate David Mbewe of the Liberation for Economic Freedom Party (LEFP) has formally submitted his nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) for the September 16 general election. Mbewe named Edward Kambanje as his running mate during the filing process.
In his address, Mbewe pledged to prioritize healthcare and social welfare reforms if elected. “I will ensure our hospitals have enough drugs and that the needy receive the help they deserve,” he said. He also reiterated his party’s dedication to improving public service accessibility and implementing inclusive economic policies to uplift Malawians.
Mbewe’s submission marks another step in the preparations for the upcoming election, as candidates finalize their bids for the presidency.
Airtel Africa has announced a strong operating and financial performance for the quarter ending June 30, 2025.
According to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, the firm’s customer base has grown by 9% to 169.4 million, with data customers increasing by 17.4% to 75.6 million.
This growth reflects Airtel Africa’s effective execution of strategy and its ability to meet market demands.
Sunil Taldar
The company’s revenue for the quarter stood at $1.415 billion, marking a 24.9% increase in constant currency and a 22.4% rise in reported currency.
Mobile services revenue grew by 23.8% in constant currency, driven by a 38.1% surge in data revenue and a 13.9% growth in voice revenue.
Airtel Africa’s mobile money services also maintained strong momentum, posting 30.3% growth in constant currency.
Taldar stated, “We are very pleased with the strong growth in our operating and financial performance in the first quarter.
The scale of the growth we achieved reflects the sustained demand for our services and the strength of our business model”.
Former president Joyce Banda, who is also the president of the People’s Party (PP) has asked government to consider formulating deliberate policies that aimed at promoting small and medium businesses so as to transform the people’s lives and county’s economic status.
Speakiing to the media after a business engagement with the Blantyre city vendors on Monday in Blantyre, Banda observed that for years the country has not been making strides in the small and medium businesses due to unfavorable operating environment.
” For many years now, we have been witnessing promises from varrious governments to improve the small and medium businesses. However, these promises have yielded nothing due to unfavorable operating policies in the sector,” she said
Joyce Banda
Banda said the development has resulted into the closures and downsizing of the businesses, hence the widespread theft and violence most especially by the youth.
Banda emphasized the urgent need to create an enabling environment for the small and medium businesses growth.
The former president said she was convinced that the roadmap to prosperity dictates that the country should have effective small and medium enterprises reforms that aim at creating an enabling climate for domestic investment.
Banda also stressed the need for transforming and restructuring the country’s instructions for production, manufacturing, distribution and trade sectors, which she said have been underperforming due to domestic and international shocks such as shortage of fuel, foreign exchange and high cost of exporting.
” I have been a vendor since 1980’s and I know this informal sector very well. I promise to transform this small and medium sector once voted into power during the September 16 tripatite elections,” she said
Among others, the former president said her government have already secured over 100,000 jobs from outside the country so as to narrow down the employment gap in the country.
” We will also introduce varrious loan initiatives and create special package targetting the domestic informal sector so as to boost the entrepreneuralship culture,” she said
In a separate interview, Blantyre city vendors association chairman Stain Manda said businesses haven’t been successful for the past years due to tough operating environment such as city by-laws.
” It’s tough to survive from the informal sector nowadays and it is deeply concerning that many of vendors are living in poverty due to tough operating environment that comes with huge taxes and impounding of our wares by the city officers,” he said
Manda added that many vendors from the Blantyre city markets closed shops and others trekked to other neighbouring countries for greener pastures due to tough operating environment.
The Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD) has officially announced that its party leader, Rt. Honorable Dr. Cassim Chilumpha, SC, has withdrawn from the 2025 presidential race.
This development comes just a day before Dr. Chilumpha was expected to submit his nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on 29th July 2025, as part of the official presidential nomination process.
The former Vice President of Malawi has instead opted to form a political alliance and work collaboratively with another former President of Malawi, Dr. Joyce Banda, who is the current leader of the People’s Party (PP).
Chilumpha
According to a statement released by ADD, the party has resolved to support Dr. Joyce Banda’s presidential candidacy in the upcoming general elections scheduled for 16th September 2025.
The party has urged all its members across the country, as well as Malawians who desire a better future, to vote for Dr. Joyce Banda as the next President of Malawi.
ADD believes that Dr. Banda possesses the necessary wisdom, experience, and governance skills to effectively manage the affairs of the state and collaborate with non-governmental institutions for national development.
The message was communicated by Lameck Sapuwa, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, who can be reached at 0993853998 for further information.
The ADD’s campaign is now united under the banner: “It is Possible with Dr. Joyce Banda.”
This strategic endorsement is expected to reshape the dynamics of the upcoming elections as alliances begin to take form across the political spectrum.
Dr. Cassim Chilumpha is one of Malawi’s most seasoned political figures, a man whose contributions to the country’s governance and legal landscape span decades.
He holds the rare distinction of having served as both a Vice President and a senior cabinet minister, roles that have equipped him with extensive insight into the inner workings of Malawi’s political and administrative systems.
A legal scholar by profession and a Senior Counsel (SC) by recognition, Dr. Chilumpha is respected for his measured political demeanor, sharp intellect, and unwavering commitment to constitutionalism and democratic values.
As leader of the Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD), he has consistently emphasized issue-based politics, national unity, and a development-first approach, even when operating outside the mainstream political spotlight.
Chilumpha
His decision to withdraw from the 2025 presidential race and support former President Dr. Joyce Banda, leader of the People’s Party (PP), must be understood not as a sign of retreat, but as an act of strategic statesmanship.
Rather than pursue personal political ambition, Dr. Chilumpha has chosen to contribute to national transformation by aligning with a leader he believes has the capacity, credibility, and wisdom to take Malawi forward.
Dr. Joyce Banda’s track record during her presidency—from 2012 to 2014—includes championing women’s rights, economic reforms, and public sector integrity, values that resonate strongly with Dr. Chilumpha’s own political ethos.
This endorsement is a merger of vision and principle: Dr. Chilumpha brings to the alliance his loyal political base, deep governance knowledge, and an extensive network that stretches across Malawi’s regions.
By calling on ADD members and all Malawians to support Dr. Joyce Banda in the September 2025 elections, Dr. Chilumpha is showing that his loyalty lies not with titles or positions, but with the future of the nation.
His belief in partnership governance, as well as his experience working alongside civil society and institutions of accountability, makes his endorsement a significant boost to the PP campaign.
Dr. Chilumpha’s political maturity also reflects a deep understanding of the electoral terrain, recognizing that unity among progressive forces is the most viable path toward ending leadership fragmentation and restoring institutional strength.
It is no coincidence that his campaign message, “Ndizotheka ndi Mai Dr Joyce Banda” (It is possible with Dr. Joyce Banda), is framed with optimism and realism—grounded in the hope for inclusive and ethical leadership.
This moment is not about personal gains; it is about safeguarding the democratic promise of Malawi and ensuring the country is led by individuals who value competence, humility, and national service.
Those who know Dr. Chilumpha understand that he does not make such political decisions lightly. Every move is calculated, legally sound, and rooted in a long-term vision for justice and development.
Conclusion
In throwing his full weight behind Dr. Joyce Banda, Dr. Cassim Chilumpha is once again proving that he is one of Malawi’s rare political minds—capable of transcending ego for the greater good.
He has demonstrated that real leadership is not about who stands on the ballot, but about who helps steer the nation toward dignity, peace, and prosperity.
Malawians would do well to heed his call and embrace a leadership combination that prioritizes service over politics, wisdom over populism, and unity over division.
In these crucial times, Dr. Chilumpha’s support is not just political; it is patriotic.
