By Falles Kamanga
Malawians are currently overburdened with unreasonable and heavy taxes that are chocking production in all sectors of economy.
Since the return of President Peter Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership in September 2025, there has been slow in economic growth with minimal production.
Inflation rate is down yes, policy rate is down yes, but without meaningful production nothing will take this nation forward.
Joseph Mwanamvekha, being the Finance Minister, has failed to demonstrate real and tangible economic policy reforms that invigorate growth.
The role of Finance Minister is to oversea all economic policies including fiscal, monetary and foreign exchange and among others.
Mwanamvekha has been running up and down without clear economic policy direction to create conducive environment for growth.
All most everything is being taxes, heavy levies in all social services.
Mwanamvekha without real economic sense, he justifies heavy taxes, levies to finance free primary and secondary education while huge allocation in State Residences and Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) with about MK85 billion and MK65 billion budget (2026/37 Malawi’s National Budget).
Mwanamvekha without sense, no cuts in these budget allocations: State Residences and OPC despite minimal movements or activities by President Peter Mutharika.
Mwanamvekha’s cadres are all over on social media overpraising while silently are being overburdened with unreasonable taxes, levies.
Without sense, the Finance Minister has allowed increase of unreasonable tution fees in public universities with 100%.
What type of economics is this that keeps on inflicting locals with high cost of living due to heavy taxes, tariffs hikes on social services?
How can local companies produce more for export when the nation lacks forex coupled with heavy taxes, levies.
Production is almost impossible in Malawi due to heavy taxes on raw materials coupled with scarcity of forex.
President Mutharika has demonstrated zeal to sustain economic prowess through unnecessary local and international travels cuts since October 2025. This is recommendable.
But his Finance Minister Mwanamvekha is failing to translate the gains in Mutharika’s gesture into practical economic policies that favour growth for the country.
Instead is busy jumping from one conference to another to boast his capitalism mindset. This cannot take this country forward.
Mr Mwanamvekha, cuts budget allocation for both state Residences and OPC to finance social services including public universities education, public hospitals.
Mr Mwanamvekha, removal unreasonable levies and taxes on electricity, water, fuel to ease the burden on Malawians.
Mr Mwanamvekha, you are serving Malawians not elites and your party DPP.
Otherwise, it’s high time President Mutharika fired you, Mr Mwanamvekha as Finance Minister for inflicting pain on innocent Malawians.
Malawi is not a capitalism nation. Enough of this selfishness, greedy, stubbornness and egocentric.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor
