Malawi's former President Peter Mutharika has been declared the winner of last week's elections, in a huge comeback for the 85-year-old. Official results show that he won 57% of the vote, compared to the 33% of President Lazarus Chakwera, who is 70.
Chakwera, a pastor before entering politics, conceded defeat ahead of the final result being declared, phoning Mutharika to congratulate him on his historic win. Mutharika, a former professor of law, served as president from 2014 to 2020, when he lost to Chakwera by a wide margin.
He inherits an economy that is in deep crisis, with a severe shortage of fuel and foreign currency in the poor southern African state. The official inflation rate is close to 30%, with a frozen chicken in a supermarket in the capital, Lilongwe, costing about $20 (£15), in a nation where most people live on $2 a day or less.
The election commission announced the result after taking the full eight days allowed to check everything carefully and address the complaints first. The 2019 election, also won by Mutharika, was annulled by the country's highest court, which found there had been widespread irregularities, including the use of correction fluid to alter results. Chakwera won the rerun by a huge margin the following year.
This was the pair's fourth electoral duel. Mutharika's older brother Bingu also served as president and died in office in 2012.
In his concession speech, Chakwera stated that he had concerns about irregularities and anomalies but was accepting the outcome out of respect for the majority of Malawians' collective will to change the government. His speech sparked celebrations among Mutharika's supporters in Lilongwe, with hundreds singing and dancing on the streets.
This election result can be seen more as a rejection of Chakwera than a victory for Mutharika. Under President Chakwera, Malawi's list of problems grew, including grand-scale corruption, a weak economy, high living costs, frequent power cuts, and a shortage of foreign currency. These issues led Malawians to seek alternative leadership.
Although these same problems existed during Mutharika's tenure, they worsened under Chakwera. Chakwera's allies blame the crisis on factors out of his control, including drought and natural disasters, the Covid pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Mutharika's campaign mantra - a return to proven leadership - resonated with voters.
Now, Mutharika will need to demonstrate once again that he can tackle inflation as he did in his first term. Speculation about his health is rife, raising questions about whether he has the stamina to lead Malawi again at 85. The swearing-in ceremony must be organized within seven to 30 days after the announcement of the result.
