By Collins Mtika

Peter Mutharika, 85, was sworn in Saturday as Malawi’s seventh president, sealing a rare political comeback five years after voters ousted him in one of southern Africa’s most closely watched elections.

The inauguration at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre drew thousands of cheering supporters and symbolised both a reset and a reckoning in one of the world’s poorest countries.

Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda administered the oath, while Justice Jane Ansah, a former Supreme Court judge, was sworn in as vice president, a choice seen as underlining Mutharika’s pledge to restore the rule of law.

Mutharika, who first served as president from 2014 until his shock defeat in 2020, returns at a moment of deep crisis.

Malawi, a landlocked nation of 20 million people, is grappling with runaway inflation, a collapsing currency, severe foreign exchange shortages, and rising food insecurity after successive climate shocks.

Public frustration over corruption, power cuts, and youth unemployment had soared under outgoing president Lazarus Chakwera, paving the way for Mutharika’s return to the ballot box.

“The mighty DPP is back!” Mutharika declared, invoking his Democratic Progressive Party, which was founded by his late brother, former president Bingu wa Mutharika.

“The honeymoon of looting is over. Government is not a feast—it is about service, discipline, and hard work.”

He cast his comeback as both divinely ordained and people-driven: “We are back by the will of God and the collective will of the people. Malawians are united in one vision, one dream, one purpose.”

Mutharika painted a grim picture of the economic collapse he inherits: “There is no food. No forex. Businesses are collapsing. The cost of living is insane. Government coffers are empty, and nobody knows where the borrowed money has gone.”

But he insisted the crisis was man-made and solvable: “Any problem created by humans can be solved by humans. Fixing this country will not be easy, but we will fix it.”

His speech mixed fire and reassurance.

He warned public officials against corruption, “Stop destroying this country! You are dealing with a different president now,” but also urged patience, saying Malawians must brace for “tough and painful decisions” before recovery can take hold.

The ceremony was notable for who was missing. Outgoing president Lazarus Chakwera, who had conceded and promised a smooth transition, was dropped from the programme at the last minute, along with Cabinet Secretary Colleen Zamba.

Analysts said the snub was intended to mark a sharp break with Chakwera’s administration, which had been tainted by donor suspensions and allegations of mismanagement.

Malawi’s international partners will be crucial to its recovery. Donors froze direct budget support for much of the past decade over corruption scandals, leaving the country heavily reliant on borrowing.

In his address, Mutharika appealed to allies from the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Southern African Development Community (SADC) to “send us investors and every support you can. Malawi is now open for business.”

His return is highly unusual in Africa, where incumbents rarely reclaim power at the ballot box.

Analysts say his comeback echoes past Malawian politics, where both Bingu wa Mutharika and Hastings Banda were known for strongman rule, but also marks a test of whether democratic institutions can deliver accountability without falling into cycles of corruption and personal rule.

The stakes are high. Malawi remains one of the least developed economies in the world, with more than 70 per cent of its population living below the poverty line.

Restoring external financing, stabilising the currency, and fixing the energy sector will be early tests of the new administration.

“The spirit that destroys our nation does not come from outside,” Mutharika told the crowd in closing. “It comes from among us. But Malawi will rise again.”