Malawians head to the polls tomorrow in a high-stakes presidential election, with former leader Peter Mutharika attempting a dramatic return at age 84.
Mutharika, who governed from 2014 to 2020, is challenging incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, accusing him of crippling the economy and mismanaging key sectors. Despite previously hinting at retirement, the veteran politician insists he is returning to “rescue the nation,” winning support from rural and informal communities who recall cheaper fertilizer and better food access under his rule.
He lost to Chakwera in a landmark 2020 re-run after Malawi’s Constitutional Court annulled the disputed 2019 election over widespread irregularities — a ruling hailed as a democratic breakthrough.
As economic hardships deepen, tomorrow’s vote will test whether Malawians want Mutharika back in power or prefer to stick with Chakwera’s leadership.
