By Edwin Mauluka
Governance and economic experts have praised President Peter Mutharika for his candid assessment of Malawi’s economic woes and the strategies his administration has outlined to restore growth and stability.
“If we get the economy right, we get everything else right,” Mutharika said in his State of the Nation Address while opening the 52nd Session of Parliament and the Mid-Year Budget Review for 2025/2026.
“It is a growing economy that will create more jobs for the youth and women. But for all this to happen, good governance and the rule of law will be very key,” he added. “I will not tolerate any corruption. My government will empower the Anti-Corruption Bureau to prosecute corruption cases without fear or favour. In the end, we will all have the Malawi we want.”
Corruption has long plagued Malawi’s public sector, undermining growth and eroding trust since the country adopted multiparty democracy in 1994.
Reacting to the president’s remarks, Dr. John Barker, Director of Cambridge Governance Labs, said he was encouraged by Mutharika’s emphasis on economic reform and commitment to good governance.
“I think governance literacy is very important,” Barker told The Forum. “There are training programmes that can strengthen understanding of rule of law, separation of powers, and economic management. The formation of capital depends on good governance.”
Elia Msiyaphazi Zulu, Executive Director of the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), shared similar sentiments but cautioned that implementation would be the real test.
“The question is: what will happen in practice?” Zulu said. “On democracy, Malawi is doing well but failing on the economy. That’s why poverty remains high, people are starving, and jobs are scarce.”
He noted that Malawi, which has a population nearing 22 million, cannot rely solely on government employment to drive growth.
“To move the economy, conditions must be right for the private sector,” Zulu* said. “They are the ones who create jobs.”
—
*Mr. Elia Zulu in photo above
