General elections were held in Malawi on 20 May 2004 to elect a President and the National Assembly. The election had originally been scheduled for 18 May but was postponed for two days in response to opposition complaints of irregularities in the voter roll. By 22 May no results had been announced, leading to protests from the opposition and threats of disorder. On 25 May the Malawi Electoral Commission finally announced the results of the election.

Bingu wa Mutharika Bingu wa Mutharika (; born Brightson Webster Ryson Thom; 24 February 1934 – 5 April 2012) was a Malawian politician and economist who was President of Malawi from May 2004 until his death in April 2012. He was also President of the Democ ...

, the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front, was declared the winner of the presidential poll, whilst the Malawi Congress Party had won most seats in the National Assembly vote. Voter turnout was around 62%.

Campaign

President

There were five candidates for the presidential election: *

Gwanda Chakuamba Gwandaguluwe "Gwanda" Chakuamba Phiri (4 April 1934 – 24 October 2016) was a Malawian politician who was the leader of the New Republican Party (NRP). He hailed from Nsanje, a district on the southern part of Malawi. Gwanda Chakuamba attended Zo ...

, aged 69, was the candidate of a seven-party opposition coalition, the

Mgwirizano Coalition The Mgwirizano Coalition is an electoral alliance in Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bord ...

or Unity Coalition. Chakuamba has a colourful past, having been a senior minister and militia commander under former President-for-life Hastings Banda. In 1980 he fell out with Banda, whose assassination he was accused of plotting. He spent 12 years in prison and emerged a popular hero, then succeeded Banda as leader of his party, the Malawi Congress Party. *

Justin Malewezi Justin Chimera Malewezi (23 December 1943 – 17 April 2021) was a Malawian politician and a Member of Parliament for Ntchisi North in the Central Region of Malawi. He was Vice-President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004. Malewezi quit the United Demo ...

, Vice-President of Malawi under Bakili Muluzi, stood as the candidate of the People's Progressive Movement, having been passed over by the ruling party. *

Brown Mpinganjira Brown James Mpinganjira, popularly known as BJ is a Malawian Politician who used his 1986 detention to fight the injustices of the then one party state. He worked with others in prison and used their time to devise ways on how to change the directi ...

, aged 55, was the candidate of the

National Democratic Alliance National Democratic Alliance (NDA) () is a Centre-right politics, centre-right to Right-wing politics, right-wing and Conservatism, conservative Indian big tent political alliance led by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was foun ...

, a breakaway group from the ruling party. * John Tembo, aged 72, was the candidate of the Malawi Congress Party. *

, a 70-year-old economist and veteran politician who was the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front, although he had previously run for president under the United Party banner. He was supported by the outgoing president,

Bakili Muluzi Elson Bakili Muluzi (born March 17, 1943 in Machinga, Nyasaland) is a Malawian politician who was the first freely elected president of Malawi from 1994 to 2004. He was also chairman of the United Democratic Front (UDF) until 2009. He succeeded ...

National Assembly

A total of 1,268 candidates ran in the election of which 373 were independents and the rest representing fifteen parties.The Institutional Context of the 2004 General Elections in Malawi
CMI Seven parties contested the elections as the

; the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, the People's Progressive Movement, the

Movement for Genuine Democratic Change The Movement for Genuine Democratic Change is a political party in Malawi. At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition The Mgwirizano Coalition is an electoral alliance in Malawi Malawi ...

, the

People's Transformation Party The People's Transformation Party (PETRA) is a political party in Malawi. In the last general elections on 20 May 2004, the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition, that won 27 out of 194 seats. PETRA was part of the Tonse Alliance to support ...

, the

Malawi Forum for Unity and Development The Malawi Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE) is a political party in Malawi. In the general elections on 20 May 2004, the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition, that won 27 out of 194 seats. MAFUNDE was part of the Tonse Alliance to ...

, the

National Unity Party The National Unity Party, National United Party, Party of National Unity or National Unity Front may refer to: * National United Party of Afghanistan (founded 2003) * National Unity Party (Albania) * National United Party (Armenia), defunct * Natio ...

and the

Malawi Democratic Party The Malawi Democratic Party is a political party in Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bord ...

Results

President

National Assembly

Polling in six constituencies was delayed due to printing errors on the ballot papers.Elections held in 2004
IPU

References

{{Malawian elections Presidential elections in Malawi Elections in Malawi Malawi General Malawi