LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Maravi Post has sent a formal questionnaire to Vitumbiko Mumba, Malawi’s Minister of Trade, following allegations reported Online.
The allegations claim that the Minister approved a recent increase in cement import tariffs for Zambian companies, raising the rate from $7.50 to $10.50 per unit.
It is further alleged that during the same period, the Minister received MK3 billion from local companies Cement Products Limited and Shayona Cement in connection with these tariff changes.
Critics suggest that the tariff increase may have been intended, directly or indirectly, to discourage foreign cement imports, leading to shortages in the domestic market.
The reported impact of these decisions is a significant surge in cement prices, which have reached K45,000 per bag, affecting construction companies and ordinary Malawians.
Reports also claim that Minister Mumba recently traveled to Zambia to meet cement producers, requesting that they resume exports to Malawi.
The Maravi Post sought clarification on the purpose and outcome of this visit, as well as whether the government plans to reduce cement prices in the coming days.
The questionnaire also requested an explanation for previous similar patterns under his watch, including shortages of sugar and fuel, which were followed by substantial price adjustments, raising suspicions of deliberate market manipulation.
Despite repeated efforts to contact the Minister, The Maravi Post was unable to secure a response.
A direct phone call to Minister Mumba went unanswered, and an attempt to reach him via WhatsApp call was declined.
Consequently, the newspaper has decided to publish the story without the Minister’s response to ensure timely reporting and inform the public about the unfolding situation.
The Maravi Post emphasizes the importance of accountability, transparency, and fair reporting on matters affecting Malawi’s trade and economy.
On Tuesday, 12 August 2025, Minister of Trade Vitumbiko Mumba provided a detailed explanation regarding recent allegations and concerns over cement pricing in Malawi.
He stated that stakeholders had requested a 10% surcharge on imported cement to promote the Buy Malawi Strategy, and the Chakwera government had obliged.
He also mentioned that they had requested a 10.5% guiding value on imported cement, again in support of the Buy Malawi Strategy, which the government approved.
Further, the Ministry had been asked to restrict the importation of cement and selectively issue import licenses, a measure that the Chakwera government implemented.
Additionally, they were instructed to ensure that importers of cement provide a letter from local producers confirming that the product could not be sourced locally, which was enforced as recently as last month.
Minister Mumba questioned what the critics truly wanted, arguing that raising cement prices arbitrarily to influence election outcomes was unacceptable.
He emphasized that the Chakwera-led government does not tolerate cartels and is committed to protecting vulnerable Malawians.
He pointed out that while promoting the Buy Malawi Strategy is important, it should not come at the expense of harming local consumers by protecting large companies.
Under the instruction and guidance of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry met with management teams of Sinoma Cement and Chilanga Cement factories in Lusaka to address the pricing issue.
He confirmed that their Zambian counterparts had agreed to provide Malawi with a special reduced price per tonne of cement.
Minister Mumba explained that the government was taking measures to ensure that the price of imported cement would be lower than it had been before the recent price surge.
He invited the public to watch a press conference on MBC and Zodiak on Wednesday at 7:30 pm, during which the government would announce the specific measures taken.
He thanked President Hakainde Hichilema and his Zambian counterpart, Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry Hon. Chipoka Mulenga, for their cooperation.
Minister Mumba confirmed that 12,000 bags of cement were already crossing into Malawi on that day or by the latest the following day.
He added that local quarry producers would be addressed next to ensure fair supply and pricing.
Finally, he warned those attempting economic sabotage that the government would take decisive action, stating, “we are coming in hot, hot, hot!”
Concluding analysis
Malawi is facing yet another manufactured crisis, this time in the cement market, and Minister of Trade Vitumbiko Mumba stands at the center of mounting allegations.
Reports from Bakili Muluzi TV Online suggest that Mumba recently approved a tariff hike on Zambian cement imports from $7.50 to $10.50, a move that has sent prices spiraling and left construction projects across the country struggling.
Shockingly, the same reports allege that Mumba personally received K3 billion from Cement Products Limited and Shayona Cement, raising serious questions about corruption and conflict of interest.
The result of these decisions is painfully visible: cement now costs a staggering K45,000 per bag, a burden that ordinary Malawians and businesses can hardly bear.
Critics argue that this is part of a wider pattern of deliberate market manipulation, reminiscent of past shortages in sugar and fuel, which conveniently inflated prices under Mumba’s watch.
Even more troubling, the Minister’s recent trip to Zambia to “persuade” cement producers to resume exports raises suspicions of preferential treatment and backroom deals that disregard public welfare.
Attempts by The Maravi Post to contact the Minister directly went unanswered; phone calls were ignored, and WhatsApp calls declined, signaling a worrying lack of accountability.
The Minister’s silence cannot shield him from scrutiny, as the public demands answers on how policy decisions have been used to enrich a few while leaving the majority to bear inflated costs.
Malawi’s construction industry, already burdened by rising costs and delays, is now being held hostage by decisions allegedly driven by greed rather than public interest.
This episode underscores the urgent need for transparent governance and independent oversight to prevent political and financial elites from exploiting national markets for personal gain.
If left unchecked, these practices threaten not only consumer confidence but also Malawi’s broader economic stability, raising profound questions about the integrity of the Ministry of Trade under Minister Mumba.
The Maravi Post urges immediate, transparent clarification from the Minister and his ministry, as the country cannot afford more crises manufactured in the corridors of power.
