The 85-year-old Mutharika won the September elections with over 56% of the vote, defeating 70-year-old former President Lazarus Chakwera, who received 33%. Citizens rejected Chakwera for a second term after five years of economic challenges that have further affected one of the world’s poorest countries.

The September 16 election was the fourth contest between Mutharika and Chakwera for the presidency. The swearing-in ceremony, held in Blantyre, was attended by a large crowd.

Mutharika took the oath at a sports stadium in the commercial city of Blantyre, surrounded by supporters dressed in the blue and white colors of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), alongside government officials and African heads of state.

In his inaugural speech, Mutharika said his government inherited severe economic problems. He noted that Malawi faces food shortages, rising market prices, and a foreign exchange crisis that has disrupted trade and caused fuel shortages nationwide.

He said: “Currently, the government has no money. The loans taken are enormous, and no one knows where the funds went. I do not promise honey and milk, but I promise hard work, tough and weighty decisions. The era of misappropriating public funds is over!”

Mutharika also called on international partners to invest in Malawi. He specifically addressed U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he will soon send a delegation to the United States to discuss the country’s investment opportunities, especially after U.S. aid to Malawi was halted.

Chakwera’s party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), issued a statement saying that although the outgoing president did not attend the swearing-in, he wished Mutharika good fortune and a healthy life.