There was a thunderous eruption of applause at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe Wednesday afternoon, the kind that seemed to shake the very foundations of the grand auditorium, when Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera declared engineer Vitumbiko Mumba as running mate for the September 16, 2025 Presidential Election.
The moment carried a rare blend of shock and triumph, as many in the audience had not expected the announcement, yet it resonated deeply with most of those who were in the packed room.
Delegates leapt to their feet, some cheering, others clapping rhythmically, while flashes from cameras, like fireworks on a festive night, lit up the hall.
By 1:30pm, the air at BICC was already thick with anticipation. The race for the coveted MCP running mate slot had reportedly been narrowed down to two names.
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All eyes turned when Chakwera arrived in dramatic fashion, standing in an open vehicle, flanked on either side by Vitumbiko Mumba and MCP vice president Catherine Gotani-Hara.
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The symbolism was impossible to ignore. One of them would be elevated; the other left behind.
Whispers made rounds in the crowd as speculation ran wild.
No one could forget the tension from 11 months ago, when Mumba walked out of the same auditorium, visibly dejected, after losing the MCP vice presidency to Gotani-Hara during the party’s heated August 11 convention.
What happened next was nothing short of poetic. The young engineer, once dismissed and written off by many as politically finished, now stood in front of thousands of people and, just in the nick of time, he was named the second most powerful figure in the party.
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Clad in a sharp dark blue suit and a bold red tie, Mumba could not hide his elation.
As his name rolled off Chakwera’s tongue, he leaped up, his face lit with disbelief and joy, and rushed to the podium to stand beside the State President.
It was the ultimate reversal of fortunes. A modern-day parable of redemption.
The same man who had exited this stage in defeat 11 months ago now re-entered it in glory.
For many people in attendance or watching the events unfold live on television, it felt like witnessing a rejected stone becoming the cornerstone.
Briefing the jam-packed BICC auditorium, Chakwera admitted that Malawians have, in the past five years, passed through many challenges which even himself did not envisage in 2020, when he came to power after the court-ordered June 23 presidential election.
According to Chakwera, in the first five years, he has managed to lay a strong foundation for Malawi’s development.
He added that, together with Mumba, he was confident that the development process would be accelerated.
Asked by reporters on how the party would navigate perceived differences between Mumba and other top officials, Chakwera said the choice of Mumba would benefit the MCP and Malawi.
“I can assure you that MCP is a huge institution. It has various strengths. Various people who know how to handle things. And I want to assure you that my choice of engineer Vitumbiko Mumba is a choice that will benefit the whole of Malawi Congress Party.
“And I can assure you that differences in opinion and differences of approach to doing things do not mean lack of unity. We can synergise, getting all our strength together, and that’s how you make improvements. And, therefore, for us, we can deal with every type of member in the Malawi Congress Party because not everyone is like everyone else,” he said, adding: “There is a reason for that diversity so that we can then have our strengths together and form a formidable team that can deliver,” he said.
Soon after Chakwera announced Mumba as running mate, some Malawians took to social media to express their agreement with Chakwera’s choice.
Since his appointment as Labour Minister on December 11 last year, Mumba has been a darling to Malawians with his militant approach to issue management.
Early this year, he was moved to the Ministry of Trade, where he has been in the forefront, fighting cartels he has been accusing of siphoning sugar out of the country.
Earlier in the day, independent candidate Smart Swira presented his nomination papers, at which point he named Jonathan Matonga as running mate.
In her remarks, Mec Chairperson Judge Annabel Mtalimanja hailed candidates for showing interest in vying for the highest office in the land.
According to Mtalimanja, the conduct shows the courage that the candidates have.
According to Mtalimanja, Malawians are expecting to hear from the candidates their plans for taking Malawi forward, in line with Malawi 2063 vision goals.
She urged the candidates to preach peach at their campaign meetings.
