By Edwin Kumwenda
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The United States just did the unthinkable: they reelected Donald Trump.
Despite a presidency marred by chaos, division, and the January 6 Capitol riots, he’s back. Not because Americans forgot—but because they’re fed up.
And here in Malawi, we’re staring down a dangerously similar path.
Afrobarometer’s latest findings suggest a growing number of Malawians are ready to return Peter Mutharika (APM) to power.
Frustrated by the Tonse Alliance’s unfulfilled promises, many see the former president as a safer bet. But here’s the truth: re-electing APM would not be a solution. It would be surrender.
Let’s not sugar-coat it. Tonse Alliance has failed to deliver.
Youth unemployment is suffocating. Prices are soaring.
Corruption hasn’t disappeared—it’s evolved. And yes, people have every reason to be angry.
But anger is not strategy. A vote cast in frustration can destroy more than it fixes.
Peter Mutharika’s previous term wasn’t a golden age. Under his leadership, we saw increasing nepotism, suppression of dissent, and stagnant development.
In fact, it was under his watch that the 2019 election was annulled due to massive irregularities. He didn’t lose power—he was held accountable. That was progress.
Now, just like Trump, APM returns with a narrative of victimhood. He claims Malawi was better under his rule. But nostalgia is a dangerous liar—especially in politics.
If Malawians vote him back, it won’t just be a step backward—it will be a declaration that our politics is a graveyard of recycled failures.
It will tell every corrupt, underperforming leader that they just need to wait out the storm, and the people will forget.
We must not forget. We need change, yes—but not circular change. Not leadership that comes back dressed in old promises.
Malawi deserves fresh ideas, not political rewinds.
Trump’s return is a cautionary tale. Let’s not make it our reality.
