Mutharika, Peter (Arthur Peter Mutharika) [key], 1940–, Malawian lawyer and political leader, LL.B. London Univ., 1965, J.S.D. Yale, 1969; brother of Bingu wa Mutharika. A professor, he taught at several universities in Africa and the United States, including for 39 years at Washington Univ., where he retired in 2011. Like his brother a member of the Democratic Progressive party (DPP), he served (2009–14) in Malawi's parliament and held several cabinet posts during his brother's second term as president, including foreign affairs minister (2011–12). After his brother died (2012), he was accused of plotting to prevent Vice President Joyce Banda from succeeding to the presidency, and later accused of treason. Mutharika became leader of the DPP in 2013 and was elected president in 2014; after his election, the treason charges were dropped. He was reelected in 2019, but the vote was overturned (2020) due to irregularities. Mutharika remained president until a new election in mid-2020, when he lost to Lazarus Chakwera. He is the author of several books on international law.
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