SaralnamaJust five years after being dramatically unseated by a court ruling, Peter Mutharika is set to return to power as the president of Malawi. Mutharika, who held the top job from 2014 to 2020, triumphed in last week's general election, usurping his long-time rival, President Lazarus Chakwera. Mutharika told voters on the campaign trail that life was simply better under him – Malawi has experienced one of its worst ever economic downturns since Chakwera took office. But the record of 85-year-old Mutharika has its own blemishes, from corruption allegations to the debacle that ended his first presidency. This is the fourth time he has run for office, but initially, Mutharika did not intend to go into politics. Born in 1940 in the tea-growing region of Thyolo, he was raised by two teachers and developed a love for education. "I grew… (Updated 25 Sep 2025, 12:37 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- Just five years after being dramatically unseated by a court ruling, Peter Mutharika is set to return to power as the president of Malawi
- Mutharika, who held the top job from 2014 to 2020, triumphed in last week's general election, usurping his long-time rival, President Lazarus Chakwera
- Mutharika told voters on the campaign trail that life was simply better under him – Malawi has experienced one of its worst ever economic downturns since Chakwera took office