By Isaac Salima:
As 2025 comes to a close on Wednesday, consumers have expressed little hope that conditions will improve in the coming year.
The Consumer Association of Malawi (Cama) has also described 2025 as a difficult year economically for its members.
Cama Executive Director John Kapito said that currently little is being done to revive the economy, leaving little hope for better days ahead.
“We are doing nothing to generate revenue for economic growth. If we are not doing that, it will be difficult to hope for improvement.
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“Unless something changes, I do not see the economy overcoming these challenges. Currently we are also borrowing more money for consumption, which becomes a major problem,” Kapito said.
He added that several small-scale businesses had closed and that “we could not purchase enough goods while forex challenges created numerous problems.”
UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala said it is currently difficult to assess any gains following the elections.
“Before the elections, we knew the state of our economy. After the elections, we are still monitoring to see how the new administration will manage the economy to move it from where it was to where Malawians want it to be,” Njawala said.
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He further said that people have endured hardships in recent years and hope their votes will bring change.
Small-scale Business Operators Association of Malawi general secretary Tennyson Mulimbula said most local entrepreneurs struggled in 2025.
“According to reports from our members across the country, 2025 has been a difficult year for small-scale business operators. Most businesses closed due to challenges such as fuel and forex shortages and inflation,” Mulimbula said.
He, however, expressed hope for the new year, citing the change of government and a promising agricultural season among the reasons.
Malawians went to the polls on September 16, ushering in the new Democratic Progressive Party administration.
The opposition Malawi Congress Party said it will issue a statement on its assessment of the ending year.
Minister of Finance Joseph Mwanamvekha last week claimed that the country’s economy is on the right track to recovery, apparently because measures and policies have been put in place to revive it.
