Peter Mutharika: 'Tipp-Ex president' or Malawi's long-awaited saviour?

The president-elect of the southern African nation has a long and controversial political career.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of The Earth EarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveThe professor who beat fraud allegations to become Malawi's president…again2 days agoShareSaveWedaeli ChibelushiShareSaveBloomberg via Getty ImagesJust five years after being dramatically unseated by a court ruling, Peter Mutharika is set to return to power as the president of Malawi.

Mutharika, who held the top job from 2014 to 2020, triumphed in last week's general election, usurping his long-time rival, President Lazarus Chakwera.

Mutharika told voters on the campaign trail that life was simply better under him - Malawi has experienced one of its worst ever economic downturns since Chakwera took office.

But the record of 85-year-old Mutharika has its own blemishes, from corruption allegations to the debacle that ended his first presidency.

This is the fourth time he has run for office, but initially, Mutharika did not intend to go into politics.