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.

I grew up in a family where my parents were educators, and myself I spent all my life in higher education, at seven universities on three continents, Mutharika commented in 2017, during an address at the UK's Oxford University.

Mutharika went on to become a professor, building an expertise in international justice. He spent decades away from Malawi teaching.

Mutharika eventually pivoted to politics in 2004, when his older brother, Bingu, became Malawi's president.

He served as justice minister, education minister and then foreign minister.

Mutharika's first term in power is noted for securing substantial Chinese loans for infrastructure development, but also marred by blackouts and food shortages, perpetuating a narrative of corruption in Malawian politics.

His return, following a significant economic downturn under Chakwera, indicates a yearning for stability amidst turmoil. With inflation soaring past 30%, voters faced immense challenges that Mutharika promised to alleviate.

During his campaign, Mutharika asked the public in the local Chichewa language: Munandisowa eti? Mwakhaula eti? (You miss me right? You have suffered, right?).

While concerns linger about his age and health, Mutharika has earned the trust of the electorate, even winning in traditionally strong regions for Chakwera.

As he prepares to assume office, Mutharika must navigate the complexities of an impoverished nation looking for hope amidst its challenges.