Former President Peter Mutharika has been declared the winner of Malawi’s election, ousting incumbent Lazarus Chakera to return as leader of one of Africa’s poorest countries. Chakwera conceded defeat in a speech on national television hours before the final results were announced on Wednesday. Supporters of Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party had already gathered in the streets of the commercial capital, Blantyre, to celebrate. The 85-year-old Mutharika, who was president from 2014-2020, won 56 per cent of the vote, according to the Malawi Electoral Commission. Chakwera was second with 33 per cent. The winning candidate needed to receive more than 50 per cent of the vote to avoid a runoff.