Remember October 2025? Queues. Shortages. Uncertainty. Fast forward to August 2026 and the picture is different. Right now, under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, Malawi is stable, credible, and back in business.
Critics said nothing would change in one year. The evidence on the ground says everything has. This is the story of a President who came to work, not to make excuses.
President Mutharika is a statesman. He is calm, visionary, disciplined, and patriotic. In just 10 months he is laying a foundation that is restoring order and giving Malawians confidence again.
Right now, he is stabilizing the economy and restoring donor confidence. Fuel is in the pumps and supply is consistent.
Inflation is easing and food prices are stabilizing in our markets. Government is clearing pension arrears owed to retired teachers and nurses.
Wasteful official travel is cut and resources are being redirected to service delivery. Because of this discipline, the IMF is back at the table and Malawi is negotiating from a position of strength.
Partners are also responding. The European Union is committing €143 million under the 2026 Annual Action Plan. Japan is pledging millions of kwacha.
The hard truth is that donors trust DPP discipline. They are investing again because credibility has returned to State House and a statesman’s word now means policy.
Right now, he is putting power and resources directly into communities. Under Minister Dr Ben Phiri, government is rolling out the K5 billion CDF per constituency, the highest in Malawi’s history. But this is not the old way.
Funds move only after communities identify projects, after technical appraisal, after competitive procurement, and after verified work.
Councils are holding mandatory public accountability meetings. For the first time, a village head and a youth can ask how their money is spent and get an answer.
The hard truth is that this is inclusive leadership in action. A President who believes development must be felt in every ward, not just announced in the capital.
Right now, he is keeping his promise to parents and farmers. Free secondary education is in place. Fees are gone and more children are staying in class.
In agriculture, the Affordable Inputs Programme is reaching 1.5 million farmers with leakage drastically reduced. Maize is more available and markets are calmer.
At the same time, government is securing €35 million from the EU for AgriCatalyst Malawi to commercialize rice, soybeans and coffee.
The target is clear: cut the 30% of rice we import, add value here, create jobs here, and earn forex here.
The hard truth is that a true statesman does not just feed the nation today. He builds the systems that feed the nation for the next 20 years.
Right now, he is opening Malawi up through infrastructure and energy.
Construction is advancing on the M1 highway and other arterial roads that stalled for years. Talks to revive a national carrier are back on because a connected country is a working country.
On power, government is closing a €125 million deal through the Malawi Energy Efficiency Enhancement Programme with the EU and EIB.
The investment is strengthening generation, transmission and distribution, and it is building skills for youth and women.
A leader who thinks beyond elections invests in power, because without power there is no industry, and without industry there are no jobs.
Right now, he is restoring dignity and discipline to public institutions. Cabinet remains lean.
MBC is operating with greater editorial independence. New anti-corruption legislation is in place. At State House the rule is simple and firm: no plan, no money. No work done, no payment.
The hard truth is that this discipline is why governance experts are taking note.
A mid-year assessment by APAC is ranking President Mutharika highly on governance and political stability. The world is calling him an African leader to watch, and Malawi is proud to be led by him.
Ten months is still early, but the direction is clear. President Mutharika is not governing by noise. He is governing by results.
He is a unifier, a reformer, and a builder. He is turning crisis management into planning, and planning into delivery.
The task ahead is to convert this stability into more megawatts, more jobs, and better health services.
But right now, the foundation is solid. Markets are stable. Schools are open. Roads are moving. Partners are back. Public money is being protected.
Malawi needed steady hands. Malawi has them. President Arthur Peter Mutharika is proving that with the right leadership, a country can rise. And right now, Malawi is rising.
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Email:jonesgadama@gmail.com
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