AFP

Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday urged opposition parties to accept the outcome of an election clouded by fraud allegations as he was sworn in for a second term.

Thousands of supporters gathered at a sports stadium in Malawi’s commercial capital Blantyre to watch him take the oath of office, which had been announced just hours earlier.

Mutharika, 78, of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was declared victor on Monday after an injunction barring the release of the results was lifted.

“I want to congratulate other leaders who competed with me in these elections. But they have to accept that there can only be one winner,” Mutharika declared in a short speech.