After Floods, Famine, Malawi's Leader Is Bullish on Growth
- President Mutharika expects economic growth of as much as 5%
- Mutharika is the frontrunner to win elections in May next year
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Malawian President Peter Mutharika had to deal with devastating floods, a famine and a foreign-aid freeze during his first term. Now, he’s seeking re-election to tackle the challenges of attracting billions of dollars in investment and reducing the economy’s reliance on tobacco.
Mutharika, 78, is expected to be the sole contender for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party when it meets next week. With the opposition fragmented and a first-past-the-post election system that awards the presidency to the candidate who gets a plurality of votes, Mutharika is the frontrunner to win the May vote.