Malawi President Touts Achievements Amid "Painful Systemic Surgery"
The President's methodical, district-by-district approach appeared designed to demonstrate comprehensive national coverage of development initiatives, particularly in opposition strongholds.
LILONGWE, Malawi — Malawi's President delivered an extensive State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday, defending five years of controversial reforms while methodically outlining developments across all 28 districts in the southern African nation, writes Winston Mwale.
In his marathon speech titled "Taking Our Development Forward to Continue the Progress We Have Delivered," President Lazarus Chakwera characterised his tenure as a period of "systemic surgery" necessary to correct decades of mismanagement while acknowledging the hardships many Malawians have endured during this process.
"These reforms have been painful for some," the president said, detailing a series of controversial measures implemented since 2020 that sparked opposition from various quarters.
Among these were the revival of Malawi's railway system and the opening a diplomatic mission in Israel in 2020, which he said "caused discomfort to certain groups."
In 2021, the reservation of government contracts for Malawian-owned businesses and the redirection of funds to combat COVID-19 "stirred opposition," according to the president.
The enforcement of a new Employment Act and increases in the minimum wage—which the President noted "has now tripled"—brought resistance from employers.
Perhaps most contentiously, the President highlighted "the arrest of senior members of the Democratic Progressive Party following an audit of the Reserve Bank of Malawi," which he framed as evidence of his administration's commitment to tackling corruption.
The president acknowledged that these internal reforms coincided with significant external challenges that compounded the difficulties faced by ordinary Malawians.
"The Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 led to a tripling in fertiliser prices, forcing the government to raise prices," he said.
"Tropical Storms Ana and Gombe in 2022, as well as the cholera outbreak in 2023, diverted resources from other programs."
He described the 44 percent devaluation of the Kwacha in 2023 and the suspension of international travel for public servants as "difficult but necessary measures."
A drought in 2024 destroyed what the President called "a significant portion of the national food crop," necessitating emergency maize distribution.
On a sombre note, the President referred to "the tragic death of the late Vice President Chilima and eight others" as an "excruciatingly painful event," particularly given what he described as "political exploitation and conspiracy theories that followed."
The bulk of the President's address consisted of district-by-district reports organised around five key development pillars: food security, economic development, governance, human capital, and infrastructure.
Beginning with the northern district of Chitipa, the President detailed investments in irrigation schemes and support for farmers through the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) and the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
He highlighted the installation of communication towers, expansion of electricity access, and provision of free water connections aimed at boosting economic opportunities.
"My vision is for Chitipa to become a major trade corridor and a major city facilitating trade between Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia," the president stated.
Similar themes emerged across other districts, with the President repeatedly mentioning AIP subsidies, NEEF loans for agricultural inputs and business startups, the construction of community day secondary schools and health posts, and the expansion of electricity and water access.
In Rumphi, the President praised the district's "endurance" while listing accomplishments including the distribution of food to vulnerable households, construction of health centres, recruitment of medical personnel, and infrastructure projects such as bridge construction and road gravelling.
For Mzimba, the President noted the district's potential to "feed itself and others," highlighting irrigation investments and support for farmers. He expressed regret for delays in the progress of Inkosi Ya Makhosi M'mbelwa University but reported that "the issues have been resolved and construction is underway."
When addressing Likoma district, the President criticized previous administrations for neglecting the island.
His vision for Likoma's future was notably ambitious: "a get-away paradise with tax-exempt resorts, hotels, casinos, and banks with reserves of precious metals to support a booming crypto Stablecoin market."
The president devoted significant attention to southern districts affected by climate disasters.
For Nsanje, he emphasized the district's potential as "an import and export corridor" and outlined food security measures including AIP subsidies, NEEF fertilizer loans, and social cash transfers.
In Chikwawa, the President thanked residents for their "endurance in the face of climate change impacts" while listing interventions such as the Shire Valley Transformation Programme and construction of houses for Cyclone Freddy victims.
The president directly addressed criticisms when discussing Thyolo district, saying, "I have set the record straight on claims that I have done nothing for Malawians, particularly in Thyolo."
He listed numerous interventions including NEEF input loans, AIP subsidies, relief maize distribution, and the construction of security agency housing.
Throughout the address, the president consistently highlighted five categories of development across districts:
1. **Food Security:** Almost every district report included mentions of AIP subsidies, NEEF fertiliser loans, social cash transfers, and food distribution to vulnerable households. The rehabilitation of irrigation schemes and development of mega farms were recurring themes.
2. **Economic Development:** The President repeatedly cited NEEF cash loans for business startups, improved access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and efforts to connect households to electricity and water services.
3. **Governance:** Initiatives included the establishment of District Land Tribunals, construction or rehabilitation of magistrate courts, and support for traditional leadership structures.
4. **Human Capital:** Consistent themes included the construction of community day secondary schools, recruitment of teachers, building of health posts, and provision of university student loans.
5. **Infrastructure:** The President detailed road and bridge construction, water supply projects, housing for security agencies, and telecommunications improvements across numerous districts.
The middle and central districts received similar treatment, with the President listing developments in Dedza, Dowa, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Salima, Nkhota-kota, Ntchisi, and Mchinji.
These reports followed the same pattern, highlighting AIP subsidies, cash transfers, infrastructure projects, and economic development initiatives.
For the capital district of Lilongwe, the President emphasised "grooming commensurate with a Capital city," citing fertilizer distribution, social cash transfers, and support for small and medium enterprises.
The commercial hub of Blantyre received a briefer mention, with the President noting household support programs, cash transfers, scheme development, loans, and electricity expansion.
The President's methodical, district-by-district approach appeared designed to demonstrate comprehensive national coverage of development initiatives, particularly in opposition strongholds.
The repetitive nature of the projects listed across districts suggested a standardized development approach being implemented throughout the country.
Notably absent from the address were specific metrics on program effectiveness, detailed budget allocations, or acknowledgement of implementation challenges beyond broad references to external factors like climate disasters and global economic pressures.
The President concluded his address on a personal note, stating simply that he was "at peace with God" regarding his administration's progress.
Analysis of the speech reveals a careful political balancing act: acknowledging hardships while justifying controversial reforms as necessary "systemic surgery," highlighting achievements in opposition strongholds to counter criticism, and emphasizing continuity of development across all regions regardless of political affiliation.
The extensive district-by-district listing of projects, while comprehensive, raised questions about prioritization and strategic focus. Critics may question whether this approach represents an effective national development strategy or a political exercise in demonstrating activity across all constituencies.
For ordinary Malawians, the address offered little concrete data on how these various initiatives have impacted key development indicators such as poverty rates, employment figures, or agricultural productivity.
The emphasis remained primarily on inputs (loans distributed, infrastructure built) rather than outcomes (improvements in living standards, economic growth).
As Malawi continues to face significant challenges, including climate vulnerability, economic instability, and regional development disparities, the President's address reflected both the ambition and the limitations of the current administration's approach to national development.