Reported by Suleman Chitera, Lilongwe
With just two months to go before Malawi’s highly anticipated September 16 General Elections, frustration is mounting among citizens who say they are ready to vote President Lazarus Chakwera out of the State House.
Many Malawians accuse the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) government of failing to deliver on its 2020 campaign promises, particularly in the areas of job creation, economic stability, and cost of living. As the country continues to grapple with high inflation, a weakening Kwacha, and rising unemployment, calls for leadership change are growing louder.
In Lilongwe, a group of prominent Chewa traditional leaders have declared that they will not back Chakwera’s bid for re-election. Group Village Headman Mtedza of Lilongwe said the economic hardships under Chakwera’s leadership have made life unbearable for ordinary citizens.
“We gave him our full support in 2020 because we believed in his vision. But what we’ve seen is the opposite. Prices have tripled, our youth have no jobs, and our farmers cannot afford fertilizer. We feel betrayed,” Mtedza said during a community meeting on Friday.
Other chiefs echoed similar sentiments, stating that while MCP has historically enjoyed strong backing in the Central Region, the current leadership has failed to protect the economic dignity of Malawians.
Opposition leaders have capitalized on the widespread discontent, with many pledging to reverse what they call “five wasted years of economic mismanagement.” UTM President Dalitso Kabambe and DPP’s Peter Mutharika have both intensified their campaigns, promising to stabilize the economy and restore public trust.
As the countdown to the election continues, President Chakwera and the MCP face the daunting task of convincing a skeptical electorate that they still deserve a second term. With rising dissent even in their traditional strongholds, the path to victory appears more challenging than ever.
