President Peter Mutharika’s ambition to turn Malawi into “the Singapore of Africa” will depend on more than economic reforms. Investor confidence, public trust and long-term growth all rest on one essential pillar: security and the rule of law.

ANALYSIS | Governance & Security | Patrick Mwanza

Security is one of those words we often take for granted until it disappears. Its meaning is simple enough: freedom from danger, fear and uncertainty. Yet it is also the quiet foundation on which economies are built, businesses invest and ordinary people plan their futures.

Can a nation thrive without it? History suggests otherwise.

When President Peter Mutharika returned to office last October, defeating the incumbent who had unseated him five years earlier, he had set an ambitious national goal for himself during the campaign. He promised to make Malawi “the Singapore of Africa”, a country transformed from chronic poverty into a prosperous, modern economy within a generation.

It is an inspiring vision. But it is also one that comes with difficult questions.

Singapore did not become one of the world’s wealthiest nations by chance. Today it consistently ranks among the world’s most competitive economies. Its universities are globally respected, its institutions are trusted and it remains one of the world’s leading centres for innovation.

The architect of that transformation was Lee Kuan Yew, widely regarded as the father of modern Singapore. When Singapore gained independence in 1965, it was plagued by unemployment, poor housing, disease and limited natural resources. Few imagined it would one day become a global economic powerhouse.

Lee Kuan Yew’s success was built on discipline rather than miracles. His government fostered a business-friendly environment with competitive taxation, insisted on uncompromising standards of integrity in public office and enforced the rule of law with consistency. Massive investments in education, technical skills, infrastructure and housing laid the groundwork for sustained economic growth.

His model was unapologetically centralised. Through what many describe as authoritarian state capitalism, Singapore pursued long-term national priorities with little room for political paralysis. Whether admired or criticised, the results remain difficult to ignore.

As a constitutional law scholar, Mutharika understands that institutions matter. His refusal to assent to legislation transferring control of the Constituency Development Fund after Parliament passed it despite an existing court ruling reflected an insistence that constitutional processes cannot simply be bypassed. Instead, he directed that administrative guidelines be developed, effectively settling the matter within the framework of the law.

The same emphasis on institutions featured prominently in his Independence Day address marking Malawi’s 62 years of nationhood on July 6.

“Our next frontier is economic independence,” Mutharika declared, urging Malawians to work together toward a country less dependent on foreign aid.

“I am confident that working together, we will achieve our dream of making Malawi an economically independent country, with equitably shared wealth,” he said.

“My administration is steadfast in creating a conducive environment for a prosperous nation. Macroeconomic stability is steadily taking root, laying fertile ground for investments that will generate foreign exchange, create jobs and grow our economy for the benefit of all.”

Those are encouraging words. But every investment climate rests on more than sound macroeconomic indicators. It also depends on whether people feel safe.

Since Mutharika assumed office, Malawi has been shaken by the killings of two young doctors — one aged 33 last October and another aged 28 earlier this month. Their deaths have provoked outrage among Malawians and renewed debate over whether professionals serving the public receive adequate protection.

In Parliament, Leader of Opposition Simplex Chithyola Banda asked a question that resonated beyond the chamber.

“Doctors are very important in this country. Why are they becoming an endangered species?”

Lawmaker Grace Kwelepeta called for tougher penalties for those convicted of murdering professionals in critical sectors, arguing that such offenders should not qualify for presidential pardons.

“It takes almost seven years to train a doctor,” she said. “This young doctor had only started her career in January. We need very stiff penalties for people who kill our experts. We can’t afford to lose highly trained professionals so senselessly.”

The implications extend well beyond the health sector.

Michael Kaiyatsa, executive director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), argues that such crimes inevitably shape perceptions of Malawi’s investment environment.

“Security and the rule of law are among the key factors that investors usually consider before coming into a country,” Kaiyatsa told The Forum. “Investors want assurance that their assets and investments will be protected. When high-profile crimes occur, especially against respected professionals such as doctors, and the perpetrators are not swiftly brought to justice, it creates an impression of insecurity.”

Yet Kaiyatsa also points to an equally important measure.

“What matters most is how authorities respond,” he said. A swift, transparent and credible response demonstrates that Malawi’s institutions function and that the country takes security seriously.

That may ultimately be the real test.

Economic transformation is about far more than attracting capital or announcing ambitious targets. Investors examine the strength of institutions. Professionals ask whether they can work safely. Citizens judge whether justice is delivered fairly and consistently.

Singapore’s story was never simply about economic policy. It was about building confidence that the rules mattered and that the state could protect both opportunity and order.

If Malawi hopes to follow even part of that path, security cannot be treated as a secondary concern. It is not merely another government responsibility.

It is the foundation upon which every other ambition depends.

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