Dragged before the cameras, Malawi’s state broadcaster chief became an unwilling actor in a political drama about fear and freedom
The ceremony at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre drew thousands of supporters and was cast by officials as a stress test for Malawi’s fragile democracy
The 85-year-old’s victory last month was a referendum on the cost of living in a country where inflation hovers near 30%, fuel and foreign currency are scarce and poverty is endemic
There is anxiety over the fate of hundreds of jobs and the stability of the country’s fragile consumer market
His return as president highlights the country’s deep political divides, rooted in regional loyalties
The Malawi Electoral Commission has so far validated results from 24 of 36 councils, which show Peter Mutharika ahead by an unassailable
However, a high court judge said the president and his Malawi Congress Party can proceed with a judicial review of alleged irregularities
Victory very unlikely for the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera
The country’s high-stakes vote has been plagued by allegations of cheating, rivalry and arrests, leading to a demand for transparency
The former president, long dismissed as yesterday’s man, has become the improbable vessel of hope for millions in the poverty-stricken country