By Chisomo Phiri
The Executive Director(ED) of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), Sylvester Namiwa, has asked the Minister of Finance, Joseph Mwanamveka, to provide clear details on government measures aimed at addressing the ongoing shortage of fuel and foreign currency in the country.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Thursday morning, Namiwa said the current economic challenges are contrary to promises made in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) manifesto, which pledged to resolve such issues within the first six months in office.
He said there appears to be disagreement between the finance minister and the government spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba, regarding the actual availability of foreign currency in the country.
Namiwa stressed that if Mwanamveka does not have a clear plan to address foreign exchange shortages, he should consider resigning.
He then commended the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) for selling gold reserves, saying the proceeds should be used to purchase fuel to ease shortages.
Namiwa further called on the parliamentary committee overseeing the investigation into the 2024 aircraft crash that killed the then Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others to speed up its work.
He said Malawians are eager for answers and closure on the matter, urging the committee chairperson to update the nation on progress so far.
Namiwa also urged Malawians to become more self-reliant by engaging in productive activities such as agriculture, saying this would help the country earn foreign exchange.
He warned that waiting for politicians to solve economic problems would only delay progress, adding that some political actors are allegedly prioritizing the interests of foreign investors.
The CDEDI leader further claimed that a foreign investor is pressuring government to sell Salima Sugar Company.
On taxation, Namiwa appealed to government to remove taxes on fuel to reduce the burden of rising prices on citizens.
“Malawians are suffering. People are walking long distances, prices have gone up. Government must act,” he said.
