Lazarus Chakwera inaugurated as Malawi's new president

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as Malawi's new president Sunday after the announcement the previous night that he had won the southern African country's rerun elections.

Chakwera is Malawi's sixth president after winning the historic election held last week, the first time a court-overturned vote in Africa has resulted in the defeat of an incumbent leader.

Following a hard-fought campaign, Chakwera urged national reconciliation in his inaugural speech in the capital, Lilongwe, and spoke directly to supporters of defeated incumbent president Peter Mutharika.

“Perhaps the prospect of my presidency fills you with fear and grief. I want you to remember one thing, that this new Malawi is a home to you, too," said Chakwera. "So long as I am its president it will be a home in which you, too, will prosper.”

Chakwera won with 58.57% of votes cast, beating the incumbent president Peter Mutharika, according to official results announced by the Malawi Electoral Commission Saturday night. There were night-long celebrations in the cities and towns across the country.

Chakwera said said it was an honor to stand before inaugural crowd as their president.

“It’s an honor that feels me with unspeakable joy and immense gratitude. It’s an honor forged in the furnace of your desire and your demand for change,” he said.

Chakwera's election came after months of determined street protests against the results of the election more than a year ago, in May 2019, in which Mutharika had been declared the winner. The Constitutional Court struck down the results, citing widespread irregularities including the use of correction fluid on ballots. It was just the second time in Africa that a court has overturned a presidential election, following a ruling on...