The election had been eagerly anticipated by many Malawians, who were looking forward to a new political direction that could address the country’s pressing problems, especially poverty and economic instability.

In his speech, outgoing President Lazarus Chakwera, after seeing the first election results, quickly congratulated his opponent Arthur Peter Mutharika, saying: “Based on the figures released so far, it is clear that the strongest of my competitors, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, is ahead by a margin that no one can surpass.”

He continued: “For that reason, a short while ago I called  Arthur Peter Mutharika to congratulate him on this historic victory.”

This veteran politician ended his remarks by urging both his supporters and non-supporters to remain peaceful and maintain security in the country.

Lazarus Chakwera, 70, was first elected in 2020 after defeating Peter Mutharika, who had been president at the time. However, since Chakwera came to power, Malawi has been hit by a series of crises, including extreme poverty, fuel shortages, and a rise in commodity prices of up to 30%.

The country has also struggled with a shortage of foreign exchange, leading to an increase in illegal ways of obtaining it and placing the nation’s economy under further strain, especially by traders who regularly import goods.

Arthur Peter Mutharika, 85, first became Malawi’s president in 2014. He lost the 2020 election with 40% of the vote. Mutharika is a legal scholar who earned his law degree from the University of London in 1965.