African Union congratulates Mutharika on Malawi election win

Peter Mutharika got a landslide win over incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera, Malawi's election commission said on Wednesday. The African Union congratulated Peter Mutharika for his election win in Malawi on Thursday, commending Malawians for a peaceful campaign. The veteran politician, who held power from 2014 to 2020, was re-elected with nearly 57 percent of the vote to lead the country of 21 million people. It was a landslide win over incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera's 33 percent, Malawi's election commission said on Wednesday. The chair of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, expressed his congratulations to 85-year-old Mutharika. In a statement posted on X, he said he "commends all the people of Malawi for their enthusiastic, peaceful and orderly engagement in this credible democratic process". Swearing-in Mutharika, known by his supporters as "father", must be sworn into office between seven and 30 days of the announcement of his victory. He pledged economic growth and an end to a foreign exchange shortage that has restricted imports of fuel and fertiliser. More than 70 percent of the country lives in poverty, according to the World Bank's benchmark.