Chakwera Admits Tough Times, Says Foundation for Economic Recovery is Set
President Lazarus Chakwera has acknowledged that Malawians have endured a painful rise in the cost of living during his first term, but insisted his administration has laid a solid foundation to revive the economy.
Speaking at a huge Malawi Congress Party (MCP) rally at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre on Sunday, Chakwera said measures to cut transport costs, increase food production and boost local manufacturing are already in motion.
“No country was spared from rising prices, but we have laid a foundation to cushion the impact,” he told the crowd, citing road construction, railway rehabilitation, and support for local industries as part of his long-term strategy.
Chakwera also accused traders of hoarding fertiliser, sugar and cement to deliberately inflate prices, warning that government is moving to crack down on such practices.
The President’s remarks come as the 2025 Annual Economic Report reveals Malawi’s industrial output shrank by 14.4 percent in 2024, largely due to forex shortages that disrupted access to raw materials.
At the rally, MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda dismissed an IPOR survey showing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader Peter Mutharika ahead with 41 percent compared to Chakwera’s 31 percent. Chimwendo claimed the survey included non-voters. His remarks, however, contrasted with party publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila’s earlier statement welcoming the poll as proof the MCP campaign is resonating with the electorate.
Senior Chief Kapeni applauded the government for rolling out National Economic Empowerment Fund loans but urged authorities to rehabilitate Blantyre’s poor road network. Other speakers included MCP’s second deputy president Abida Mia and campaign director Moses Kunkuyu.
The event was marked by a lively parade of MCP supporters who marched from BAT Ground to Njamba along Masauko Chipembere Highway, bringing traffic between Blantyre and Limbe to a standstill for nearly half an hour.