The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has suffered a setback in the capital after losing the Lilongwe City Bwaila parliamentary seat to the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in the June 30 by-elections.
According to official results released by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), MCP candidate Precious Pempho Gama Kabambe defeated DPP’s Mike Chimzukira with 4,707 votes against 2,725, giving the opposition a winning margin of 1,982 votes.
The loss hands the opposition a significant political boost in Lilongwe, a city expected to remain a major battleground ahead of future elections.
Despite the defeat in the capital, the DPP emerged as the biggest winner overall in the by-elections.
The governing party retained the Balaka Mulunguzi parliamentary seat, where James Makhumula defeated his closest challenger by 849 votes, and also won the Kanjuli Ward local government seat in Machinga through Allie Lali Atwabi.
In Machinga Mikoko Constituency, independent candidate Ishmael Louis Japan edged UDF’s Ibrahim Rajabu Ojess by just 81 votes in one of the closest races of the by-election.
The People’s Party also claimed victory in Karonga South’s Uliwa Ward, where Robert Koyi Kondowe defeated the DPP candidate by 1,191 votes.
The Malawi Electoral Commission held the 30 June, 2026 by-elections following vacancies caused by deaths of incumbents and court rulings that nullified results from the September 16, 2025 General Election.
