Peter Mutharika is sworn in as Malawi president in political comeback at the age of 85

Peter Mutharika was sworn in as Malawi’s president Saturday after a political comeback at the age of 85 to win last month’s election.

Thousands gathered at Kamuzu Stadium in the commercial capital, Blantyre, for Mutharika’s inauguration. He previously served as president of the southern African nation from 2014 to 2020.

He lost office in 2020, after a 2019 election he won was nullified by a court because of widespread irregularities and ordered to be rerun the following year.

He won a Sept. 16 election with 56% of the vote compared with 33% for incumbent Lazarus Chakwera to return to office.

Mutharika takes over at a time of economic crisis in Malawi, which is already one of Africa’s least developed countries. Soaring inflation and fuel and food shortages led to deep discontent with the leadership of Chakwera.

Malawi, which is heavily reliant on agriculture, has also been hit by recent climate