Daily lens Report
Peter Mutharika is set to return to Malawi’s presidency after incumbent Lazarus Chakwera conceded defeat in the September 16 election, sealing a dramatic political comeback for the 85-year-old former Washington law professor.
Mutharika, who governed from 2014 to 2020, is remembered by many Malawians for stabilising the economy, lowering inflation, and keeping fertiliser affordable in a nation where most households rely on farming. Yet his first term was far from spotless — weighed down by food shortages, rising debt, and allegations of corruption.
Despite his age and low-key style, Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ran on a message of “return to proven leadership.” Analysts say his campaign was fuelled less by charisma and more by nostalgia for what supporters see as the “glorious past” compared to Chakwera’s troubled five-year rule, marked by soaring inflation above 33 percent, foreign exchange shortages, and broken promises on jobs and corruption.
Mutharika’s career has been turbulent. A Yale-educated constitutional lawyer, he spent decades abroad before returning to draft Malawi’s first democratic constitution in 1993. Groomed as successor by his brother, former president Bingu wa Mutharika, he rose through parliament and key ministries before winning the presidency in 2014. His tenure, however, was scarred by scandals, including allegations of treason in 2012 and a 2018 bribery uproar.
His political battles with Chakwera have defined Malawi’s recent history — from the annulled 2019 “Tippex election” to his crushing 2020 defeat. This year, however, voters appeared more eager to punish Chakwera than to embrace Mutharika, observers say.
Although Mutharika promises to rescue the economy by boosting industry, tackling forex shortages, and strengthening agriculture, critics doubt whether the ageing leader — often absent from the campaign trail — can deliver.
“He’s not someone who really inspires decisive leadership,” said political analyst Boniface Dulani. “The problems Malawi faces are enormous, and turning things around will take more than just a return to the past.”
