The National Planning Commission (NPC) has confirmed receiving and certifying a total of 30 manifestos—26 submitted by political parties and 4 from independent presidential aspirants—marking a critical milestone ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
The certification comes on the back of several high-profile manifesto launches, including those by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the People’s Party (PP), both of which have outlined bold policy proposals aimed at winning over the electorate.
However, some of these pledges have sparked debate among governance analysts and sections of the public, who argue that certain promises are overly ambitious and risk setting unrealistic expectations.
Reacting to the concerns, NPC Communications Specialist Thom Khanje said the commission’s role is not to dictate manifesto content but to assess whether political commitments align with the country’s long-term development blueprint—Malawi 2063.
“Our mandate is to monitor and encourage political actors to prioritize national development goals. We ensure their manifestos reflect or at least do not contradict the Malawi 2063 vision,” Khanje stated.
He further emphasized the need for political leaders to move beyond populist promises and instead focus on sustainable, practical strategies that will genuinely transform Malawi’s socio-economic landscape.
As the campaign period intensifies, public scrutiny of manifesto content is expected to rise, putting pressure on parties and candidates to justify their pledges with realistic plans.
