By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Malawi has returned former President Peter Mutharika to power in a dramatic political turnaround, five years after voters removed him from office.
The 85-year-old ex-leader secured 57% of the vote in last week’s election, defeating incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, 70, who managed 33%. In a rare show of political maturity, Chakwera phoned Mutharika to concede defeat, congratulating him on what he described as a “historic win.”
This marks the fourth electoral showdown between the two men, and perhaps the most decisive, coming against a backdrop of soaring inflation, a crippled economy, and widespread frustration with corruption scandals.
“The anomalies do not necessarily mean that the election result projecting Professor Mutharika as the winner is not credible,” Chakwera said in his concession speech, as crowds of Mutharika supporters poured onto the streets of Lilongwe chanting “adadi”—father in Chichewa.
The victory is widely interpreted as a rejection of Chakwera’s leadership rather than an overwhelming endorsement of Mutharika. Under Chakwera, inflation climbed to nearly 30%, fuel and forex shortages deepened, and living costs spiraled, leaving many Malawians disillusioned.
Mutharika campaigned on a message of “return to proven leadership,” pointing to his earlier success in stabilizing inflation. Yet doubts linger over his health and ability to govern at his advanced age, as he was rarely visible during the campaign.
His immediate challenge will be to restore confidence in the economy, stabilize the currency, and reassure citizens weary of political promises. Analysts say the result signals Malawians’ desperation for change amid worsening hardship, rather than nostalgia for the Mutharika years.
The official swearing-in is expected within 30 days, setting the stage for what could be a defining chapter in Malawi’s democratic journey.
