By Wezzie Gausi:
Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson Jessie Kabwila has criticised the government over mounting economic pressures, saying foreign exchange shortages and fuel challenges reflect policy failures.
Kabwila said Malawians are bearing the cost of what she described as weak economic management, pointing to persistent forex shortages and their ripple effects across key sectors.
She was speaking in Lilongwe Wednesday during a press briefing attended by other senior party officials.
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“The situation on the ground shows that people are struggling. Forex shortages are affecting businesses and the availability of essential commodities,” Kabwila said.
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MCP Campaign Director Moses Kunkuyu said the fuel situation is a clear example of how forex constraints are translating into daily challenges.
“Forex is at the centre of the crisis we are seeing. When there is no forex, you cannot import fuel consistently and that is why we see these supply challenges,” Kunkuyu said.
He said the current situation is affecting transport, production and the cost of goods, worsening the cost of living.
“This is not just an economic issue on paper. It is affecting people’s lives, from transport costs to prices of basic goods,” Kunkuyu said.
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Kunkuyu further accused the government of failing to put in place sustainable measures to generate forex and urged authorities to prioritise export-led growth.
MCP’s remarks come against the background of a recent admission by Minister of Information Shadric Namalomba that forex shortages are affecting fuel importation.
Meanwhile, writing on his official Facebook page, Namalomba said people should not engage in fuel panic buying.
He insisted that the country has secured over 30 days of fuel supply, with seven days’ supply already in the country and being distributed.
Malawi has faced intermittent fuel shortages since 2022 due to forex challenges, delayed imports and global price shifts.
