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Former Malawi President Peter Mutharika has been chosen to lead the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party in next year’s presidential election.
It marks a comeback for the 84-year-old, who ruled Malawi for six years before saying he would not run for office again.
His about-face has surprised many, as he recently said supporters hoped he could save the country from being destroyed by President Lazarus Chakwera.
Mutharika lost to Chakwera after the results of the 2020 general election were overturned by the country’s Constitutional Court, which ordered a re-run.
The judges ruled that there had been widespread tampering in the 2019 election, including the use of Tipp-Ex correction fluid on ballot papers, invalidating the victory Mutharika had declared in that election.
Malawian judiciary commended for courageous act The refusal to accept a second-rate election had dire political consequences for the former president’s party.
After a period of internal bickering, the PDP expelled a number of its members, including those who wanted to challenge Mutharika for the party presidency, paving the way for Mutharika to be re-elected as party leader unopposed.
It was announced on Monday that he had received the official Republican endorsement as the presidential candidate, but it was largely a formality.
This means that Mutharika and Chakwera will meet in the election for the third time, having won and lost once each.
Mutharika told party supporters he was ready to return to power and “topple an incompetent government that can’t see, hear or do anything”.
He appears to enjoy solid support within the party, but critics say the party should elect a younger, more dynamic leader at next year’s election.
His rival, incumbent MP Chakwera, is 15 years younger than him.
President Chakwera came to office promising to “clean up the rubble of corruption,” create a million jobs for unemployed youths, and ensure food security so that all Malawians have three meals a day.
His administration acknowledged that it was difficult to deliver on its campaign promises, but blamed the coronavirus pandemic early in his term, natural disasters such as hurricanes, and an economic downturn caused by the war in Ukraine.
Government officials, including Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu, have repeatedly said that even with these difficulties, the current administration has outperformed its predecessor by building institutions that make it difficult for corruption to thrive.
Success stories include the restoration of train services in Malawi for the first time in more than 30 years, helping to reduce the cost of transporting goods. Major road construction is also underway, particularly in the capital, Lilongwe.
The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) will have to defend its record in the election and is likely to make age a key campaign issue – questioning whether former president Robert Mutharika has the physical and mental strength to govern again.
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