By Chisomo Phiri
President Arthur Peter Mutharika says Malawians should not judge his administration’s performance solely by its first year in office, arguing that rebuilding the economy and addressing the country’s food, fuel, fertiliser and foreign exchange challenges will require the full five-year term.
Speaking in an interview with the state broadcaster, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) on Sunday,October 4,2026, as his administration marked its first year in office, Mutharika said his government has made significant progress in some areas but still has much work to do, particularly in stabilising foreign exchange and ensuring reliable fuel supplies.
The president said his administration has achieved about 50 percent of what it set out to accomplish in its first year, with its two major priorities being to liberate the country and rebuild the economy.
Muthrika during the interview
Mutharika said food security is among the achievements he is most proud of, particularly because some communities that experienced hunger are now able to access food at more affordable prices.
He said the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of maize has fallen from more than K100,000 to about K35,000, making the commodity more accessible to many Malawians.
Said Mutharika:“I know some people said that achieving food security is not an achievement. I was very surprised because ask those people in Machinga eating Chitedze, or Nyika in Chikwawa and Nsanje, they will tell you that it is an achievement.”
He, however, acknowledged that progress has not been uniform across the country.
On fuel, the president said supplies has remained relatively stable over the past 12 months despite challenges associated with international conditions and transportation.
He however, admitted that fuel remains an area requiring further attention as his administration works to completely resolve the challenges affecting availability.
Mutharika also pointed to the early rollout of this year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) as evidence of progress in the agricultural sector, saying the government is committed to improving productivity and food security.
Foreign exchange, he said, remains the most complicated of the four priority areas because of the many factors affecting the generation and stability of forex.
Mutharika said Malawi is currently engaging the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank over possible solutions, including discussions on reviving the Extended Credit Facility (ECF).
“The IMF team and the World Bank are here right now in this country for more discussions on the possibility of reviving the ECF, and I think we will be able to do that. Once we can get that, and we have some resources coming in, we will be able to, I think, stabilise the economy,” he said.
The president said economic recovery will take time, recalling that his administration managed to turn around the situation within about a year when it first came to power in 2014, but arguing that the current economic circumstances are more difficult.
He said Malawi will have to restructure its heavy debt burden and ensure that any new borrowing is directed towards development rather than consumption.
Mutharika also warned that the road to economic recovery will be difficult, with austerity measures, higher taxes and other sacrifices likely to affect Malawians.
“It is going to be a rough road, no question about it. It will be rough. And, for example, austerity measures, they are painful. People do not like to pay more taxes, you know.Some of the services or trips they want to go to are curtailed,” he said.
As part of efforts to stimulate development, Mutharika said his administration is working with the private sector, including banks and insurance companies, to finance projects in sectors such as infrastructure and mining.
On infrastructure, he said the government remains committed to completing ongoing development projects.
He cited the Liwonde-Matawale Road in Zomba, where construction is already underway, while the Mapoche-Monkey-Bay and Makanjira roads are among projects expected to be commissioned.
Mutharika also said work is progressing on the road from Zomba Plateau and that government is expected to complete repairs to Malawi’s road network by February 2028, subject to prevailing circumstances.
In education, Mutharika said expanding access to secondary education is another achievement, maintaining that no qualified student should be denied education simply because they cannot afford it.
He said government is working with the banking sector to provide loans and other resources to support access to education.
The president also highlighted what he described as the restoration of freedom as another key achievement of his administration.
Mutharika said Malawians should respect government and obey the law but should not live in fear of those in authority.
He further called for greater national unity, saying Malawi should not overcome its economic and social challenges while divided.
According to Mutharika, political divisions, anger, propaganda and what he described as lies weaken the spirit of unity that once earned Malawi the description ‘Warm Heart of Africa’.
He appealed to politicians, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, the faith community, women and young people to work together in rebuilding the country.
Mutharika said greater cohesion will enable Malawians to collectively overcome the challenges facing the country.
The president also expressed gratitude to Malawians for returning him to power after five years in opposition, describing his return to the presidency as both exciting and satisfying.
He said he is particularly proud of receiving more than three million votes in the 2025 presidential election, which he described as a first in Malawi’s electoral history.
Mutharika also referred to his return to the presidency as a ‘third time’ as another significant achievement and thanked Malawians for their continued support.
He said the backing of Malawians remains important as his administration continue implementing its agenda.
Mutharika maintained that his four-F agenda of food, fuel, fertiliser and forex should be assessed as part of a five-year programme rather than judged solely on the basis of its first 12 months.
He said rebuilding Malawi and restoring the economy will take longer than initially anticipated but expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far and the support his administration is receiving from different sectors of the economy and from Malawians.
On September 24, 2025, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja declared Mutharika as the winner of the presidential election held on September 16, 2025.
He amassed 3,035,249 votes against 1,765,170 for Malawi Congress Party (MCP ) leader,Lazarus Chakwera, securing 56.8 percent of the vote and crossing the 50-percent-plus-one threshold required for an outright win.
