LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Minister of Information, Moses Kunkuyu, has boldly declared that Malawians will vote for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) again in the upcoming September 16 elections.
According to him, the party’s efforts in resolving the long-standing fuel crisis are enough to win over the electorate once more.
Kunkuyu made these claims during a radio interview, citing a bilateral deal between Malawi and another government as the key breakthrough in fuel procurement.
He asserted that the new deal removes middlemen from the process and allows Malawi to purchase fuel directly from producers.
This, he said, has led to a more stable and efficient fuel supply system.
“People will choose MCP again because it has delivered a solution never seen before,” said Kunkuyu.
He further added, “We now have a system of purchasing fuel directly from producers without any disruptions.”
On the issue of high fuel prices, the Minister claimed that Malawi is currently among the few countries in the region selling fuel at relatively lower prices.
He argued that Malawi’s approach has become a model for others looking to stabilize their own fuel markets.
“Just compare prices in neighboring countries,” Kunkuyu challenged.
“Where is fuel cheaper than in Malawi right now?” he asked.
He continued by pointing to countries like South Africa and Tanzania, suggesting they have taken note of Malawi’s success and are adjusting their own pricing mechanisms accordingly.
Kunkuyu said that these countries even sought to understand how landlocked Malawi, without access to seaports, manages to maintain lower fuel prices.
In response to comparisons between today’s fuel prices and those during the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) era, Kunkuyu warned against simplistic analysis.
He argued that currency depreciation over time naturally leads to an increase in the cost of goods, including fuel.
“As time passes, currency values drop, and commodity prices rise. That’s basic economics,” he said.
Concluding Analysis
While Moses Kunkuyu’s remarks present a confident and optimistic picture of the MCP’s handling of the fuel crisis, they warrant deeper scrutiny.
The so-called “historic solution” may indeed mark progress in cutting out inefficiencies through direct procurement, but the claim that Malawi now sells the cheapest fuel in the region lacks independent verification.
Fuel prices are influenced by complex global market dynamics, exchange rates, and logistics—not just bilateral deals.
Moreover, invoking “basic economics” to justify persistent high fuel prices glosses over government accountability in fiscal mismanagement and policy inconsistency.
For a government seeking re-election, boasting about fuel prices without addressing broader economic woes—such as joblessness, inflation, and lack of forex—may appear out of touch with the daily suffering of ordinary Malawians.
If MCP wants to be re-elected based on its economic record, it must move beyond soundbites and offer tangible, measurable, and sustainable progress.
