Just 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, seems to have 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.
Born in 1940 in the tea-growing region of Thyolo, he was raised by two teachers and developed a love for education.
Mutharika eventually pivoted to politics in 2004, when his older brother, Bingu, became Malawi's president.
In the elections, Mutharika faced numerous challenges, including allegations of corruption and a turbulent political landscape. Despite these hurdles, he managed to secure enough voters' confidence to reclaim the presidency.
As he prepares for his second term, Mutharika is challenged with an economy deeply impacted by inflation, drought, and natural disasters. Many Malawians are hopeful for a return to better governance and stability under his leadership.
His journey from academic circles to the presidential palace has contained ups and downs, but now, he must navigate the complexities of Malawian politics once more. Will Mutharika deliver on his promises, or will history repeat itself in this unfolding chapter of Malawi's political story?
