How did Malawi’s 1993 constitutional amendment change the political system?

The 1993 constitutional amendment was a pivotal turning point for Malawi, as it officially ended the country's status as a one-party state and legalized a multiparty political system.1

Prior to this change, the 1966 constitution had established the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) as the sole legal political organization under the long-standing rule of Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Following intense domestic pressure from opposition groups and international donors, a national referendum was held in which citizens overwhelmingly voted for reform.21

The 1993 amendment paved the way for the country's first free elections in over 30 years, which took place in May 1994. This transition eventually led to the adoption of a new provisional constitution in 1994 (promulgated in 1995), which established the current framework for a multiparty republic characterized by universal suffrage and term limits for the presidency.23