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, seems to have 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.
Born in 1940 in the tea-growing region of Thyolo, he was raised by educators and developed a love for education. Mutharika pursued his studies in law at Yale University, later becoming a professor.
His political career began in 2004 when his brother, Bingu, became Malawi's president. Serving as an advisor, Mutharika was elected an MP for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2009. He later became the justice minister, education minister, and foreign minister.
While tensions surfaced in 2010 regarding his candidacy for the DPP’s presidential nomination for the 2014 elections, Mutharika was forced into a power struggle after his brother's sudden death in 2012, ultimately losing out to Joyce Banda.
Despite past treason accusations, Mutharika won the presidency in 2014 with just over 36% of the vote, emphasizing his previous successes in governance. Following his loss in 2019, Mutharika returned to politics as economic instability gripped the nation.
In his recent campaign, he connected personally with voters, asking them in Chichewa, Munandisowa eti? Mwakhaula eti? (You miss me right? You have suffered, right?). Though concerns about his health have arisen, he nonetheless secured a surprising victory.
As Peter Mutharika assumes the presidency once more, the nation watches closely to see if he can deliver on promises of economic recovery and improved governance.
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.
Born in 1940 in the tea-growing region of Thyolo, he was raised by educators and developed a love for education. Mutharika pursued his studies in law at Yale University, later becoming a professor.
His political career began in 2004 when his brother, Bingu, became Malawi's president. Serving as an advisor, Mutharika was elected an MP for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2009. He later became the justice minister, education minister, and foreign minister.
While tensions surfaced in 2010 regarding his candidacy for the DPP’s presidential nomination for the 2014 elections, Mutharika was forced into a power struggle after his brother's sudden death in 2012, ultimately losing out to Joyce Banda.
Despite past treason accusations, Mutharika won the presidency in 2014 with just over 36% of the vote, emphasizing his previous successes in governance. Following his loss in 2019, Mutharika returned to politics as economic instability gripped the nation.
In his recent campaign, he connected personally with voters, asking them in Chichewa, Munandisowa eti? Mwakhaula eti? (You miss me right? You have suffered, right?). Though concerns about his health have arisen, he nonetheless secured a surprising victory.
As Peter Mutharika assumes the presidency once more, the nation watches closely to see if he can deliver on promises of economic recovery and improved governance.
