By Burnett Munthali
Malawi is grappling with soaring inflation and a rising cost of living.
The country’s inflation rate has skyrocketed, leaving many low-income consumers struggling to survive as prices of basic necessities like maize, cooking oil, bread, and sugar have surged.
Recently, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) publicity secretary, Jessie Kabwila, alleged that the main opposition, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is conniving with traders to sabotage market prices.
Does the MCP publicist’s statement imply that the DPP is more powerful than the ruling MCP?
The assertion by the MCP publicist raises critical questions about the economic and political dynamics in Malawi.
If the opposition DPP has the power to influence market prices, it suggests a significant level of control over key economic players, which would be unusual for a party that is not in government.
Governments typically wield more power over economic policies, price controls, and market regulations, meaning that the responsibility for rising inflation should primarily rest with the ruling party.
The idea that the DPP is manipulating prices would imply that the MCP government is either weak, incompetent, or lacks the authority to regulate the market effectively.
Inflation and rising costs of living are often a result of macroeconomic factors such as currency depreciation, supply chain disruptions, and fiscal mismanagement, rather than political sabotage.
If MCP truly believes that the opposition is working with traders to influence prices, then it must provide concrete evidence rather than making blanket accusations.
Blaming the opposition for economic failures may be a political strategy to divert attention from the government’s own shortcomings in managing the economy.
It is also possible that the ruling MCP is attempting to preemptively shift blame before the public directs its anger at the government for failing to control inflation.
The narrative that the opposition is sabotaging the economy could be dangerous, as it could lead to unnecessary political tensions and even economic uncertainty among investors and businesses.
If traders are indeed inflating prices beyond normal economic trends, the government has legal and policy tools to intervene, including price controls, import subsidies, and regulatory oversight.
Failure to take such measures would indicate that MCP is not serious about tackling inflation and is instead resorting to political blame games.
For any government, managing the economy requires sound fiscal policies, monetary discipline, and effective regulation, rather than engaging in accusations against political opponents.
If the MCP is losing control of the economy, it must reassess its strategies and take corrective measures rather than attempting to portray the opposition as an economic saboteur.
Ultimately, the people of Malawi deserve practical solutions to the economic crisis, not political rhetoric that does little to address their real struggles.
