Overview

• Thousands filled Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre for the inauguration, marking Mutharika’s political comeback five years after leaving office.
• He won the Sept. 16 election with 56% of the vote to Lazarus Chakwera’s 33%, according to official results.
• In his address, he pledged to clamp down on graft and to tackle a deepening economic crisis marked by high inflation and shortages of fuel and food.
• He appealed for foreign investment, said a Malawian delegation will soon go to Washington to negotiate after U.S. aid cuts, and noted receiving congratulations from U.S. President Donald Trump.
• Chakwera did not attend the ceremony, and his party said he had been removed from the program after offering to take part in the handover.