By Rick Dzida
As 2025 presidential elections are in the offing, by chance, I caught up with Burnett Munthali, the most celebrated hard hitting journalist on issues of national importance.
It is my profound privilege to feature our privileged interview with Burnett Munthali.
Rick Dzida: Welcome to this suspicious interview frankly demanded by the General public.
Malawians out there have been caught by surprise especially over your national speech which bordered on pertinent issues of national importance.
Your eloquence in your speech left the audience to hear more from you.
Burnett Munthali: Thank you, Rick, for this platform. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on issues that many Malawians are grappling with daily. This is not just an interview—it is a moment of reckoning. Malawians are tired of leaders who sell them dreams during campaigns and deliver nightmares once in power. President Lazarus Chakwera has turned the presidency into a personal fiefdom, enriching a small clique of elites while the rest of the nation drowns in poverty. The people are demanding answers, and it is high time we confronted the truth.
1) But what prompted you to come up with such an audience-captivating speech?
Burnett Munthali: Desperation. Anger. Frustration. Rick, Malawians are suffering like never before. And what makes it worse is the arrogance of those in power who pretend as if nothing is wrong. I could not sit back and watch my fellow citizens struggle while the government continues to lie, loot, and mislead the nation.
I spoke because someone had to. President Chakwera campaigned on a platform of servant leadership, economic transformation, and fighting corruption. But four years later, what do we have? A leader who is absent, a government that is clueless, and an economy in free fall.
This speech was not about eloquence; it was a desperate attempt to shake Malawians awake. To tell them that we cannot normalize failure, we cannot tolerate lies, and we must demand better from those who govern us. If we do not hold them accountable, this suffering will never end.
2) In your speech, you outlined the grievous economic hardships a local Malawian is currently facing under the leadership of President Chakwera. Where do you think Chakwera missed it all in managing Malawi’s economy?
Burnett Munthali: Chakwera did not miss it—he was never prepared in the first place. Running an economy requires a clear strategy, strong leadership, and the courage to make tough decisions. Instead, what did Chakwera do?
Reckless borrowing – Malawi is sinking in debt with nothing to show for it. Loans are taken, mismanaged, or outright stolen. The result? A crippling economy where basic commodities are now luxuries.
Runaway inflation – Under Chakwera, the cost of living has skyrocketed. Malawians can barely afford food, fuel, or even basic healthcare.
Uncontrolled government spending – While the ordinary citizen struggles to buy nsima flour, government officials are busy buying luxury cars worth millions, hosting extravagant meetings, and traveling endlessly.
Failure to attract investment – Investors have lost confidence in Malawi’s economy due to policy inconsistency, corruption, and lack of leadership.
Chakwera has mismanaged the economy beyond repair. His administration has proven to be a government of empty speeches, misplaced priorities, and gross incompetence. Malawi is now a country on autopilot—no direction, no leadership, no progress.
3) They say that a fish starts to rot from its head. This is why you took an objective swipe at Chakwera’s failing leadership. In your opinion, do you think Chakwera was genuine when he promised Malawians transformational leadership, or is the presidency simply beyond his capacity?
Rick, Chakwera was never genuine. He told Malawians what they wanted to hear, but he never had a plan. His campaign promises were a carefully crafted deception to gain power.
If he were genuine, he would have:
Appointed competent leaders instead of rewarding political loyalists with government positions.
Implemented real economic reforms instead of making endless speeches with no action.
Fought corruption ruthlessly instead of protecting thieves within his administration.
Instead, we got a president who is detached, indecisive, and overwhelmed. Chakwera is simply not fit for leadership. The presidency is beyond him, and the only solution is for him to step aside before he completely ruins the country.
4) Since the advent of multiparty democracy in Malawi, it has become the norm for politicians to overpromise the electorate. How do you think Malawians can hold their political leaders to account once they are elected into power?
Rick, Malawians must wake up. Blind loyalty to politicians is what keeps us in poverty. Here’s what needs to change:
Firstly, demand accountability from day one – Malawians must stop waiting until the next election to complain. If leaders fail to deliver, they must be confronted immediately.*
Secondly, stop voting based on tribalism and emotions – It is time we elect leaders based on competence, not region or party affiliation.
Thirdly, push for legal reforms – Malawians must demand laws that allow them to recall an underperforming president. Why should we suffer for five years under a failed leader?
Fourthly, protests and civil disobedience – Enough is enough. If leaders fail, Malawians must take to the streets and demand their resignation. We must stop tolerating mediocrity.
Fifthly, a strong and fearless media – The press must stop being a mouthpiece for the government. Expose corruption, challenge lies, and hold leaders accountable.
Malawians must realize that politicians are not gods. They work for us, and if they fail, we must remove them.
5) On the final note, do you think we should expect a regime change in the forthcoming Presidential elections? Who is most likely to emerge the victor and why?
Absolutely. Malawians are tired. The mood in the country is clear—Chakwera and his government have failed, and they must go.
But here’s the challenge: Who will take over? The opposition must present a clear, credible alternative. Malawians cannot afford to replace one failure with another.
The 2025 elections will be a battle between frustration and hope. If the opposition organizes itself, offers real solutions, and proves to Malawians that they will govern differently, then yes, we will see a regime change. But if they remain divided and focus on petty politics, Malawi risks another five years of suffering.
One thing is certain—Chakwera does not deserve another term. He has failed Malawians, and history will remember him as the president who made empty promises and delivered national misery. The people must decide whether they want to continue suffering or demand better leadership.
Final thought:
Malawi is at a crossroads. If we do not fix our leadership crisis now, the next generation will suffer even more than we are today. It is time for Malawians to rise, speak out, and demand real change. Enough is enough.
