Peter Mutharika will lead the DPP against incumbent Lazarus Chakwera in the upcoming elections.

FORMER Malawian president professor Peter Mutharika has upped the ante of his campaign, crisscrossing the country to woo voters ahead of the national elections in September.

Mutharika, who was president of the country from 2014 to 2020, entered the race after his party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), nominated him as its presidential candidate ahead of the contest.

If he succeeds, this could mark a stunning political comeback for the 84-year-old leader. He is up against the incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

A political analyst from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Dr Siphamandla Zondi, said the decision by the DPP to choose Mutharika as its candidate could be richly rewarding for the party due to his experience in government.

Zondi said: “The DPP had to choose a safe candidate who has the experience, who  has been around, who has a national profile and who has been the focus of the current government in terms of persecution and restrictions because this gives him (Mutharika) a lot momentum than a new candidate.”

“The odds that face him is that the environment is very different from the time he rose last time and that the current president and his party have consolidated power despite their own internal difficulties.”

Mutharika, who previously governed the nation for six years, had hinted at retirement from the political arena but has now announced his intention to challenge the incumbent, president Chakwera, claiming he is compelled to “rescue” the country from perceived governance failures.

Mutharika was dislodged as president by Chakwera during the hotly-contested elections in 2020.

This election was historic, as it followed a Constitutional Court ruling that overturned the results of the previous year’s vote, citing widespread voter tampering, including the misuse of tipp-ex correction fluid on ballots.

The court's bold decision was lauded as a testament to Malawi's commitment to democratic principles, firmly placing Mutharika’s earlier victory in jeopardy.

As internal struggles have rattled the DPP recently, Mutharika's re-election as the party leader occurred without any challengers, due in part to a series of expulsions of party members who had sought to oppose him.

His official endorsement as the presidential candidate was thus seen as a mere formality.

With both Mutharika and Chakwera set to battle it out for the third time, observers from within and outside Malawi are keenly analysing the dynamics at play.

Mutharika has consistently pointed to the current government's shortcomings, labelling it "incompetent" and accusing it of lacking a clear vision. During a recent address to supporters, he stated, "I am ready to regain power to remove an incompetent government which sees nothing, hears nothing and does nothing."

While Mutharika enjoys strong support within his party, the question remains whether he can galvanise the broader electorate that may favour fresh leadership.

Chakwera, who took office in 2020 with ambitious promises of clearing corruption and enhancing job creation, faces scrutiny over his record.

Though his administration attributes its difficulties in meeting these pledges to external pressures such as the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and increasing natural disasters, they claimed significant advancements have been made.

Efforts at restoring train services after over three decades and ongoing major road constructions in the capital, Lilongwe, suggest some progress has indeed been achieved.

As the 2025 elections approach, the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) will be tasked with defending its achievements while possibly leveraging Mutharika's age as a campaign issue, questioning his physical and mental readiness to govern again.

The stage is now set for one of Malawi's most epic political rematches as voters weigh the merits of experience against the demand for innovation in leadership.

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