Peter Mutharika, the 85-year-old former president of Malawi, has been declared the winner of the just ended presidential election, marking a dramatic political comeback and his fourth electoral duel against Lazarus Chakwera.

The official results, announced after an eight-day verification process, show Mutharika securing a decisive 57% of the vote.

The victory retains Mutharika to the presidency he held from 2014 to 2020, when he was unseated by Chakwera in a rerun of a nullified 2019 election.

This time, however, the tables have turned. President Chakwera, 70, conceded defeat to his predecessor ahead of the final announcement, calling Mutharika to congratulate him on his historic win.

The election was held against a backdrop of severe economic hardship in the southern African nation.

Malawi is currently struggling with an official inflation rate of nearly 30%, shortages of fuel and foreign currency, and high living costs.

In his concession speech, Chakwera acknowledged that while his government had faced significant challenges, including natural disasters and global economic crises, the outcome of the election reflected the collective will of Malawians for a change in leadership.

His defeat is seen as a rejection of his handling of a weak economy, large-scale corruption, and frequent power cuts.

Mutharika’s campaign, which emphasized a return to proven leadership, resonated with voters despite his limited public appearances during the race due to speculation about his health.

The Malawi Electoral Commission stated that the full eight days were taken to announce the result in order to carefully check all votes and address complaints, a measure likely taken to avoid a repeat of the 2019 election nullification.