BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Results of Afrobarometer survey have revealed that incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera’s government is making laudable strides in the delivery of social services to Malawians in the country, compared to all previous regimes.
According to the findings of the results, released earlier today in Blantyre, the majority of Malawians think that the Chakwera-led government is handling well public service delivery, with 41 percent (fairly well) of respondents stating that government is on course in the provision of water and sanitation, while 26 percent think the government is doing ‘very well’ on the same.
Combined, it means 67 percent of Malawians think that the government is ‘handling well’ matters concerning the provision of water and sanitation.
From an international perspective, it means that Malawi government, under Chakwera, is investing more energy and resources in the provision of clean water.
This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal six (SDG 6) whose aim is achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030.
The findings also show that 59 percent of Malawians are satisfied with Chakwera-administration’s way of handling reliable supply of electricity in the country.
According to Afrobarometer, government is also performing highly in the provision of other public services such as addressing educational needs, resolving violent conflicts, maintaining roads and bridges, among others.
Meanwhile, several economic and governance experts have concurred with the findings, especially on the provision of key social amenities to Malawians, stating that the current administration is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to infrastructure development and the rate at which social services have improved over the years.
The experts, for example, cite the steady supply of electricity over the years under the watch of Chakwera.
Malawians have been enjoying relatively stable electricity supply over the past two years, thanks to multi-billion kwacha investments in generation and transmission capacity.
The steady supply has brought to a minimum power blackouts and load shedding that became so pronounced under the Peter Mutharika administration, Chakwera’s predecessor.
The investment in the power sector followed the devastation of Kapichira hydro power station, whose 129.6 megawatts or 33 percent of the country’s power capacity was taken off from the national grid because of cyclone Anna in Jan 2022.
As such, the stability in the energy sector has helped industries to be revamped and to operate on full scale. Chakwera has set a target of Malawi’s electricity generation capacity of 1000 megawatts come 2025.
“Social services highlighted in the report address the most pressing needs of Malawians—tangible developments they can witness—unlike political populism, which remains subjective and tied to individual perceptions or political affiliations,” said social commentator Humphreys Mvula.
Another commentator, Billie Banda, observed that the findings provide valuable insights across the political spectrum.
However, he emphasised that by excelling in social service delivery, Chakwera holds a distinct advantage over his rivals in next year’s elections.
“Voters will focus on the tangible outcomes of Chakwera’s leadership, not merely on personal aspirations. The report makes it clear that the country is on the right path under his administration,” Banda said.
Afrobarometer is a survey research network that provides data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance and quality of life.