EDITORIAL: MALAWIANS ARE SUFFERING—GOVERNMENT MUST ACT NOW
The protests by kaunjika vendors outside Parliament are not just about second-hand clothes. They are a loud, desperate cry from a nation that is suffocating under the weight of an unbearable cost of living. These vendors, who took to the streets with vegetables and shoes in hand, are not just fighting for their businesses—they are fighting for survival.
But let us be clear: it is not only the vendors who are struggling. Every Malawian is.
From the market woman in Mzuzu who can barely afford sugar to the salaried worker in Blantyre whose paycheck is rendered meaningless by skyrocketing prices, to the small-scale entrepreneur in Zomba who cannot access forex to import raw materials—every corner of this country is feeling the pinch. The suffering is universal.
Malawi is in crisis, and at the heart of it is the persistent forex shortage. Prices of essential goods have gone through the roof because importers cannot access foreign currency at official rates. The black market is thriving while ordinary citizens are left to scramble for basic necessities. Inflation has made survival a luxury, and it is the people—especially the poor—who are bearing the brunt of this economic disaster.
The government’s promise to allocate forex to vendors is a welcome step, but it is merely a short-term fix to a much larger problem. Where was this urgency before people took to the streets? Why must citizens resort to protests for the government to act? The reality is that there is no real strategy to stabilize the economy, only reactionary half-measures that do little to address the underlying issues.
Minister of Trade Sosten Gwengwe’s announcement that traders must revert prices to December levels is laughable. How will that happen when forex is still scarce? When fuel prices keep increasing? When import costs remain high? Ordering businesses to lower prices without fixing the root cause is like putting a bandage on a deep wound—it does nothing to stop the bleeding.
The suspension of Parliament proceedings to “monitor developments” outside is equally absurd. The real crisis is not just outside Parliament; it is in every home where a mother is struggling to put food on the table, in every business that is on the verge of collapse, and in every village where farmers cannot afford fertilizer. Our leaders must stop playing politics and start leading.
If the government truly cares about Malawians, it must take decisive action—NOW. The forex crisis must be brought under control, and the economy must be stabilized before the situation spirals further into chaos. Vendors have spoken. The people have spoken. Now, it is time for the government to listen—not with words, but with real, tangible solutions.
Malawians have suffered enough.