Malawi, Blantyre. (News of the South)- Peter Mutharika was sworn in as Malawi’s new president Saturday, ending a week of fierce legal challenges from losers who claimed the election was rigged.
The swearing-in, in Blantyre, followed a last-minute ruling by the Malawi High Court on Friday rejecting a request by several candidates for a recount of the vote.
Outgoing President Joyce Banda, who came third in the race with 20.2 percent of the vote, conceded defeat. Banda had earlier thrown the country into turmoil after she threatened to cancel the vote and call for fresh elections in 90 days, a position rejected by the court.
Mutharika, of the Democratic Progressive Party, garnered 36.4 percent of the vote to become the country’s fifth president. Lazarous Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party came second with 27.8 percent.
Mutharika was foreign minister under the administration of his brother, Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012 and was succeeded by Banda, then vice president.
Local and foreign observers said the elections, though largely peaceful, were marred by logistical chaos. Polls opened late in some areas and inaccuracies in the ballots forced the Malawi Electoral
Commission to extend the May 20 vote by two days in places.
One person died during protests in the southern tourist town of Mangochi Friday. Commentators on social networks called for the arrest of Banda over “cashgate”, a scandal involving massive theft of donor funds, which led to foreign aid being frozen.
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