By Comrade Jumbe
“When the Drum Lies, the Dancers Stumble”: A Truthful Reflection on Malawi’s Sugar Crisis and Vitumbiko Mumba’s Empty Rhetoric.
“A wise man does not point at his father’s house with a left hand.”
Yet here we are, watching a government official, Vitumbiko Mumba, point fingers outward with both hands — not in pursuit of truth, but in defense of shadows.
The recent interview by Mumba concerning the perennial sugar shortage in Malawi was not a statement of accountability, but a desperate performance of deflection.
Listening to him, one is not educated or reassured — one is instead insulted by the parade of well-practiced half-truths, recycled excuses, and crafted falsehoods.
The Vendor Myth
Mumba blames vendors claiming they hoard sugar, manipulate the market, and exploit the people.
But “If termites eat your granary, do not accuse the birds.” Vendors do not create scarcity. They respond to it. If there is no sugar to sell, they cannot manufacture it out of thin air.
And so we ask: Where are these ‘hoarding vendors’ between June and December? Do they only exist in the first five months of the year? The answer is obvious.
This is not a vendor problem — this is a production and governance failure.
The Smuggling Smokescreen
Mumba then turns to smugglers, saying Malawi’s sugar is vanishing into Zambia.
Another lazy scapegoat. Again, we ask: Are smugglers seasonal spirits who wake up in January and vanish in June?
“He who blames the wind for his kite not flying has not learned to run.”
Blaming smugglers is an admission of weak border control and poor internal oversight. It is not a cause of the crisis — it is a symptom of government incompetence.
The Ethnic Diversion
And then, in a move as dangerous as it is dishonest, Mumba blames Indian businesspeople — alleging that they withhold sugar from the market. Here, we must draw a line.
“When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it is the branches that first announce it.”
This branch of blame reveals a deep rot — a refusal to accept responsibility. If someone buys sugar hey have the right to store it.
Government policy permits it. If the law is broken, let the law speak — not a minister on a blame tour.
Let us not play the tribal or racial card when the real enemy is greed wearing the mask of leadership.
The Real Thieves Sit in Suits
Here is the truth Mumba will never say aloud:
Malawi’s sugar companies have become cash cows for politicians.
They are no longer national assets — they are political ATMs.
Funds meant for expansion, maintenance, and efficiency are siphoned off to finance party structures, luxury lifestyles, and campaign machinery.
These companies are run not for the benefit of Malawians — but for the convenience of elites.
“The goat that cries loudest is often the one eating the farmer’s crops .
The same government that claims to protect the people is the one bleeding these companies dry, issuing licenses to export sugar while causing shortages.
These are not accidents. These are deliberate, calculated betrayals.
The Solution: Remove Political Hands from Our Sugar companies.
We must say this without fear: No government should ever again run or interfere in sugar production.
Let these companies be truly privatized — not to political proxies, but to competent, visionary Malawians who understand the discipline of the market.
We saw what happened to Malawi Post Office, ADMARC, Malawi Railways — once vibrant institutions now reduced to dry bones because of political overreach. Do not let sugar be next.
Politicians should have no place in managing industries that require competition, innovation, and efficiency. Their job is policy — not production.
My pen 🖊 is mightier than a sword.
