CDEDI urges presidential hopefuls to come clean on land crisis, presidential powers, unemployment

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has challenged presidential candidates in the September 16 elections to spell out their positions on key national challenges, arguing that vague promises will not help Malawians make informed choices.

CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe today, said life in Malawi over the past five years had been unbearable due to fuel, forex, fertiliser, food, passport, land and sugar crises.

“It is our considered view that all political party manifestos presented so far have not come out crystal clear on the following issues that are critical to the transformative leadership that Malawians are yearning for,” Namiwa said.

He pointed to land ownership, presidential powers, job creation and the sugar crisis as areas where manifestos have remained silent or unclear.

On land and displacement, Namiwa said Malawians continue to lose ancestral property to foreigners and the elite, leaving thousands destitute. He cited examples in Thyolo, Mulanje, Dowa, Nkhata Bay and Chikwawa, where locals were either displaced or forced to abandon food crops for less profitable ventures. In Kasungu, he added, communities were displaced to pave the way for the expansion of a national park.

CDEDI is demanding a comprehensive national land audit to establish who owns what land, and reforms to return idle or misused estates to local communities.

Turning to governance, the organisation argued that Malawi’s Constitution gives excessive powers to the President, undermining the fight against corruption. Namiwa said meaningful reforms must include removing presidential influence in appointing the heads of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Police, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Public Procurement Authority.

“Unless voters pressurize the September 16 2025 presidential hopefuls to commit to trim presidential powers, and in the process free the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) by taking the politicians’ hands off in the appointment of the ACB Director General (DG), the appointment of the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the head of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority, then none of them should be taken seriously on their claims to end corruption in this country,” he added.

On jobs, CDEDI accused foreign-owned companies of sidelining locals while employing foreigners, even for positions that Malawians are capable of filling. Some companies, it is alleged, operate double payrolls, paying foreigners more, even when some do not have valid permits.

Namiwa urged presidential hopefuls to commit to enforcing the localisation policy to protect jobs for the country’s youth.

He also questioned why Malawi continues to experience sugar scarcity and high prices despite having high-quality cane that could boost both local supply and exports. He said leaders have failed to expand sugar plantations to other parts of the country despite growing demand.

CDEDI reminded Malawians that the September 16 polls present an opportunity to demand accountability.

“We at CDEDI believe that the September 16 2025 General Election is the sole opportunity for Malawians to stop the cycle of careless voting that takes us home to resign to fate for another five years of biting poverty,” Namiwa said.