By Jones Gadama
247MalawiNews has been systematically analyzing every minister in President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika’s cabinet since their appointment and swearing-in, assessing delivery, impact, and citizen feedback with no fear, no favour, but strict objectivity.
We have already published performance reviews for Dr Ben Phiri, Minister of Local Government; Dr Shadric Namalomba, Minister of Information; and Hon Mary Navicha, Minister of Gender. Now the spotlight turns to Hon Peter Mukhito, Minister of Homeland Security, and the verdict from our months-long assessment is clear: he is setting a new benchmark for what service in the security sector should look like.
President Mutharika deserves commendation for visionary leadership in assembling a cabinet that balances experience with execution.
His decision to appoint Peter Mukhito to the Ministry of Homeland Security has proven to be a masterstroke. Mukhito entered office with a reputation for discipline and results, and he has translated that into tangible reforms across police, immigration, prisons and border management.
247MalawiNews conducted an extensive survey across police stations, immigration offices, correctional facilities and among the public in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, Nsanje and Chikwawa. The response was overwhelming. Officers, civil servants and ordinary Malawians described him as a servant leader who respects everyone as if he were not a minister.
They praised his refusal to play politics with security, his insistence that work must be done, and his open-door approach that makes him one of the most approachable cabinet members. The phrase that kept coming up in our interviews was simple and powerful: “He has no time to play, only work.”
Mukhito wasted no time after swearing-in. He immediately initiated a comprehensive review of the Citizenship Act, convening senior officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services to ensure Malawi’s migration laws remain relevant and responsive to modern trends while protecting national interests.
He stressed that transparent, modernized citizenship administration strengthens both security and service delivery, and that push is now aligning Malawi with international best practice.
Where citizens felt the change fastest was in passport services.Confronted with years of backlogs and corruption, Mukhito launched a decisive clean-up. He elevated passport issuance to essential service status and drove renewed negotiations with Madallas Security Printers of India.
The result was 10,000 passport booklets arriving in January 2026 and three industrial printing units dispatched to Mzuzu, Mangochi and Blantyre to decentralize production. At the same time, Deputy Minister Norman Chisale, working under Mukhito’s directive, conducted surprise inspections at Lilongwe Immigration and arrested officers demanding bribes.
Mukhito’s message was unambiguous: “The clean-up has begun and we will protect citizens. Nobody is untouchable.” That zero-tolerance stance has already improved turnaround times and restored public trust.
His reforms go deeper than quick fixes. Mukhito is championing digital transformation and stronger inter-agency coordination.
He is pushing for expansion of the MIDAS border management system and modernizing border pass systems with support from IOM, ensuring Malawi’s borders are secure yet efficient.
Early reports from border posts indicate smoother coordination between immigration, police and customs, reducing bottlenecks that previously frustrated travelers and traders.
On internal security, Mukhito has proven to be both firm and humane. He spearheaded multi-minister Community Policing Days in Nsanje and Chikwawa alongside Ministers Ben Phiri, Mary Navicha, Shadric Namalomba and Deputy Minister Norman Chisale.
The initiative strengthens partnerships between communities and law enforcement through awareness sessions, exhibitions and direct engagement. It followed his launch of an Anti-Mob Justice campaign that educated citizens on the dangers of taking the law into their own hands.
That balance of enforcement and education reflects his philosophy that security is built with people, not just against them.
Regionally, Mukhito is raising Malawi’s profile. He opened the SADC Correctional Services Progress Meeting in Salima and called for correctional systems that restore dignity through rehabilitation and reintegration, not just punishment. His human-centred approach is influencing dialogue across Southern Africa and positioning Malawi as a thought leader in modern corrections.
Officer welfare has not been ignored. During a visit to Police Headquarters Area 30, Mukhito donated K10 million to Malawi Police SACCO to expand savings and affordable loans, directly boosting morale and financial security for rank-and-file officers.
He has also inspected construction of police housing at Area 30 and publicly committed to timely completion, arguing that decent accommodation is inseparable from operational efficiency. His first interface meetings with Malawi Police Service, Immigration and Prison Services set the tone: professionalism, patriotism and zero tolerance for corruption or political interference.
Even on sensitive constitutional matters, Mukhito demonstrated clarity and calm.
When questions arose over the Vice President’s security detail, he assured Parliament that the detail remains intact per constitutional limits, dispelling speculation while respecting institutional boundaries.
What emerges from 247MalawiNews’ analysis is a minister who leads with action verbs: he reviews, he cleans, he arrests, he donates, he inspects, he engages, he reforms. He does not delegate accountability. He respects junior officers and citizens with equal courtesy.
Our survey found universal praise: he is a servant of the people, and he treats everyone as equals. That culture is reshaping the Ministry of Homeland Security from a bureaucratic office into a citizen-centred institution.
For those reasons, 247MalawiNews awards Hon Peter Mukhito a full score of 20 out of 20.
Twenty points is the full scale on our performance matrix, reserved for ministers who demonstrate vision, execution, integrity and measurable impact within a short period. Mukhito meets every criterion. He is hardworking, decisive, approachable, and relentless in demanding results.
Malawi needed a Homeland Security minister who understands that safety, dignity and efficiency are inseparable, and President Mutharika’s appointment has delivered exactly that.
This analysis is part of 247MalawiNews’ ongoing cabinet review. The same objective yardstick will be applied to every minister without exception. But for now, Peter Mukhito stands as the best Minister of Homeland Security under President Peter Mutharika, a hard worker Malawi can rely on, and a public servant who proves that respect and results can walk together.
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