Part of a series on Politics of Malawi
Constitution Human rights
Government President (list) Lazarus Chakwera Vice-President Vacant Cabinet
Legislature National Assembly Speaker: Catherine Gotani Hara
Elections General 1964 1971 1976 1978 1983 1987 1992 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2025 Presidential 2020 Referendums 1993 Political parties
Administrative divisions Regions Districts
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Nancy Tembo Diplomatic missions of / in Malawi Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
National symbols Flag Anthem
Malawi portal Other countries
v t e

This is a list of the heads of state of Malawi, from the independence of Malawi in 1964 to the present day.

From 1964 to 1966 the head of state under the Constitution of 1964 was the queen of Malawi, Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Malawi by a governor-general. Malawi became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1966 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an executive president.

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign			Royal House	Prime minister
			Reign start	Reign end	Duration
1		Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022)	6 July 1964	6 July 1966	2 years	Windsor	Banda

The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Malawi and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Malawi was granted independence by the Malawi Independence Act 1964, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous dominion and later promoted to independence as defined by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Malawi without the involvement of the British government. As Malawi became a republic before Glyn Jones, the former colonial governor, was replaced, this never happened. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice would have served as the officer administering the government.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch	Prime minister
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Sir Glyn Jones (1908–1992)	6 July 1964	6 July 1966	2 years	Elizabeth II	Banda

Under the country's 1966, 1994 and 1995 constitutions, the president is executive head of state.

The first president, Hastings Banda, was elected by the National Assembly and subsequently had himself declared president for life in 1970. He was defeated in 1994, a year after his life term was abolished as part of Malawi's transition to democracy. Since then, presidents have been elected in direct popular elections for a five-year term. Presidents may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. In the event of a vacancy, the vice-president becomes president for the balance of the term.

Political parties

Symbols

^† Died in office

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Hastings Banda (c. 1906–1997)[a]	—	6 July 1966	24 May 1994	27 years, 322 days	MCP
2		Bakili Muluzi (born 1943)	1994 1999	24 May 1994	24 May 2004	10 years	UDF
3		Bingu wa Mutharika (1934–2012)	2004	24 May 2004	5 April 2012[†]	7 years, 317 days	UDF (until 2005)
			2009				DPP
4		Joyce Banda (born 1950)	—	7 April 2012	31 May 2014	2 years, 54 days	PP
5		Peter Mutharika (born 1940)	2014 2019	31 May 2014	28 June 2020	6 years, 28 days	DPP
6		Lazarus Chakwera (born 1955)	2020	28 June 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 199 days	MCP

• World Statesmen – Malawi
• Rulers.org – Malawi