Peter Mutharika,85 sworn in as Malawi’s 7th President, amid reports Chakwera has been barred from ceremony
Officially, President-elect Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has taken his oath as the seventh President of the Republic of Malawi.
The ceremony was presided over by Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda at Kamuzu Stadium.
Mutharika previously served as Malawi’s fifth President before a five-year hiatus, during which the country was governed by outgoing President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, marking his return to the nation’s highest office following the 2025 elections.
During the oath-taking, Mutharika pledged: “I, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, solemnly swear to faithfully perform the functions of the high office of President, defend the Constitution, and serve Malawi without fear or favor.”
The oath-taking officially signifies the transition of the presidency from Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, marking a historic moment in Malawi’s democratic journey and peaceful transfer of power.
Malawi’s Peter Mutharika vowed to root out government corruption and rebuild an ailing economy.
Malawi is facing acute food shortages, cost-of-living pressures, and a lack of foreign exchange that has crippled businesses and led to persistent fuel shortages, he said.
“There is no money in government. Borrowing is extremely high, and nobody knows where the borrowed money has gone,” he said.
But he pledged improvements, saying: “We will fix this country.”
“I don’t promise you milk and honey. I promise you hard work, tough and painful decisions,” he said. “The honeymoon of looting government is over!”
Mutharika also appealed to the international community for investment. He addressed U.S. President Donald Trump directly, saying he would soon send a delegation to America to discuss his country’s prospects, especially after cuts in U.S. foreign aid.
Meanwhile, there has been reports that Chakwera was barred from attending the event.
Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party said in a statement that although the outgoing president was absent from the inauguration, he wished Mutharika success and good health.
