Malawi’s former President Peter Mutharika has won elections by a landslide, in a major comeback for the 85-year-old.
He defeated President Lazarus Chakwera, getting 57% of the votes compared to his rival’s 33%
Chakwera earlier phoned to congratulate him
Voters seem to have dismissed concerns about Mutharika’s age and apparent lack of fitness
He ran a short campaign, telling people: “You missed me, right?”
Mutharika’s supporters have burst into song and dance across the country to celebrate his victory
Chakwera’s presidency was marred by soaring inflation, fuel shortages and constant power cuts.
Chakwera addressed the nation earlier, saying he accepted defeat
His presidency was marred by soaring inflation, dwindling foreign exchange and fuel shortages.
President Chakwera took office with a promise to create a million jobs for the unemployed youth and to ensure food security so that all Malawians have three meals a day.
His government admitted it found it hard to deliver on those promises, but blamed it on the Covid pandemic, natural disasters such as drought and cyclones and the economic downturn caused by the war in Ukraine.
It pointed to its successes, including the reintroduction of train services for the first time in over three decades and major road construction, particularly in the capital, Lilongwe.
But voters were unconvinced, leading to Chakwera’s defeat.
By putting Mutharika back in power, voters in Malawi seem to have concluded that life was better during his first term.
He brought inflation down to below 10% during his presidency, while it crossed the 30% mark under his successor, the defeated President Chakwera.
Mutharika, who was in office from 2014 to 2020, will be under enormous pressure to repeat the feat or risk seeing his popularity plummet.
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.
Prior to him conceding, Chakwera’s party had complained of “serious anomalies” during the vote-counting process.
SOURCE: BBC
