Enough of the Politics — Malawi’s New MPs Challenged to Put the Nation First
As the newly elected Members of Parliament settle into their orientation for the 2025–2030 term, one truth rings loud and clear: Malawi can no longer afford a Parliament of passengers, party puppets, or self-serving elites.
Stakeholders who addressed the lawmakers this week in Lilongwe did not mince words — this new crop of MPs must defy party lines, confront corruption head-on, and restore a dying public trust in politics.
“Tough Decisions, Not Empty Speeches”
United Nations Resident Coordinator Rebecca Adda-Dontoh delivered a blistering challenge that cut through the usual political pleasantries. She told the MPs that Malawians did not send them to Parliament to clap hands for their parties — but to make the hard, often unpopular decisions that will rescue the nation from its economic nosedive.
“It is not only leaders; every leader in Malawi has to make tough decisions — in austerity, in government spending, and in modelling integrity,” Adda-Dontoh declared.
“Malawi can do it, but only if this cohort dares to be different.”
Her words were a sharp rebuke to the culture of waste, entitlement, and political gamesmanship that has crippled previous Parliaments.
A Country on the Edge — And a People Tired of Excuses
Dr Eliya Zulu, executive director of the African Institute for Development Policy (Afidep), warned that the stakes could not be higher. Despite Malawi’s natural wealth and youthful energy, decades of poor leadership have left the country teetering.
“Persistent food insecurity, stunted growth, and chronic joblessness have turned Malawi into what some experts now call a humanitarian case,” he said bluntly.
Zulu reminded MPs that Malawi’s underdevelopment is not a curse — it is a consequence of bad governance, weak accountability, and political laziness.
From Elections to Action — or to More of the Same?
Clerk of Parliament Fiona Kalemba pressed the new lawmakers to shift “from election to action,” echoing the theme of the orientation: Empowering Parliamentarians for impactful legislation, governance and transformative leadership.
She urged them to build a Parliament that will not only debate but deliver — a Parliament that will stand as a “beacon of democracy” and the guardian of the public purse.
But outside the formal speeches, public sentiment remains sceptical. Malawians have heard this rhetoric before. They have seen MPs campaign on change, only to vanish into the comfort of allowances, foreign trips, and endless committee meetings that yield nothing tangible.
The Shadow of a Disappointing Past
Civil society leaders were less diplomatic. Willy Kambwandira, executive director of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency, said outright that the last Parliament was a failure.
“The outgoing MPs prioritised party and personal interests over national duty. The result? Corruption deepened, oversight weakened, and Malawians lost faith,” he said.
Democracy expert Dr Augustine Magolowondo added that the new Parliament arrives at a defining moment. The economy is bleeding, citizens are restless, and expectations are sky-high. “This orientation must remind MPs that they are not party soldiers,” he said. “They are servants of Malawians.”
The Real Test Begins Now
Among those attending the week-long orientation is Dowa East MP-elect Richard Chimwendo Banda, the former Leader of the House, who noted that the sessions are “practical and informative.”
But ordinary Malawians are less interested in the training modules than in the outcomes. They want to see a Parliament that passes laws that fight corruption, cut waste, and grow jobs — not one that fights over allowances or Speaker positions.
History Will Judge This Cohort
When the 224 MPs-elect are sworn in next week — ahead of the Speaker elections on October 29 and President Peter Mutharika’s State Opening on October 31 — they will inherit a nation exhausted by empty promises.
The message from every corner is unmistakable: Malawi’s Parliament must change or become irrelevant.
This new cohort has a rare chance to prove that Parliament can still be the people’s house — not a den of privilege. The time for loyalty to party leaders is over. The time for loyalty to Malawi has begun.
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