LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic DevelopmentInitiatives (CDEDI) has dared Trade Minister Vitumbiko Mumba to come clearly as sugar crisis remains a challenge on the market.

CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester told the news conference on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 that
Mumba to be honest and accountable to Malawians by coming out in the open and concede that Malawians are suffering “because government did not foresee
the implications of allowing Illovo and Salima sugar companies to export the commodity amid a deficit”.

“As fate would have it, the sugar crisis is worsening at a time the market was supposed to be flooded with the commodity, which besides being Vitamin A fortifier, has a huge multiplier effect on the economy”.

Namiwa adds, “The above implies that if government’s hands were clean, by now it would have intervened and taken a position to ensure availability of the commodity”.

CDEDI appeals, “Our call to government to bite its lower lip and accept that it erred, and should urgently act like a caring government it claims to be.

“Thus far, it is important to point out that Illovo Sugar Company finally gave its side of the story after vendors have taken advantage of the scarcity to skin Malawians alive by pegging a kilogram at MK6,000”.

According to a statement dated May 23, 2025 currently making rounds on social media, Illovo is attributing sugar scarcity in the country to smuggling and bad weather.

“If contents of the aforementioned statement are anything to go by, then it raises serious competence issues on the part of State organs mandated to
police our borders and it, also, begs the question: Apart from sugar, what else is leaving the country unchecked?

“Since this is not the first time Illovo has cited smuggling as one of the challenges affecting sugar pricing and supply chain, it also begs the question
on what steps authorities are putting in place to arrest the situation ? Or, should the country resign to fate and accept that there is nothing government can do regarding our porous borders?”, queries Namiwa.

He added, “Minister of Trade and Industry should explain to the nation the policy-direction government has put in place while waiting for the weather to improve.

“In addition, the minister should explain what is happening at Salima Sugar Company, which was established through a loan from the Government of India in a bid to lessen monopoly in the sugar industry in this part of Africa”.

Namiwa dares, “Government should challenge those running Salima Sugar Company Limited to stop insulting the intelligence of Malawians with the endless and useless public relations stunts to give Malawians sugar off-line, not online.

“Regrettably, Malawians hear about Salima sugar more on social media and in news outlets than seeing it on shop shelves”.

Consequently, CDEDI hereby reminds Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda about the public undertaking he made to recover about
US$50 million (about K105 billion) alleged to have been misappropriated at Salima Sugar Company Limited.

“It is shocking to learn that the company is asking for a MK24 billion bailout from the public purse when the AG assured Malawians in December 2023 that he was working with relevant State organs to recover the billions that were lost from the company.

“CDEDI is challenging Hon Mumba to wake up to the
harsh reality that there is no sugar on the market due to government’s cluelessness in managing the economy clearly mirrored through desperate attempts to boost forex reserves at the expense of millions of Malawians whose survival depends on the availability of this product on market”.

Malawi is still grappling with forex crisis which has paralyzed business resulting high inflation pushing prices of goods and services up.