The United Transformation Movement (UTM) Member of Parliament for Mzimba North, Catherine Mzumara, has praised the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for what she described as a “strong economic legacy,” while faulting the recently ousted Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration for what she termed weak economic management.
Delivering her maiden speech during parliamentary deliberations on the State of the Nation Address (SONA), Mzumara said the DPP’s past economic policies and reforms were more effective in driving growth and maintaining stability.
“It’s true, on Friday I gave my maiden speech. It was brief, and I mainly highlighted the needs of my people in Mzimba North,” Mzumara told reporters after her address.
“But I also responded to the SONA delivered by Professor Mutharika, and I fully support the plans outlined by the DPP-led government. If those plans are implemented as presented, no Malawian will die of hunger, no child will be left out of school, and every community will have access to safe drinking water. Malawi will be great again.”
Mzumara, who recently earned a PhD in Economics, said her academic background has shaped her understanding of Malawi’s political and economic trajectory.
“My studies focused on how political competition affects socio-economic development,” she explained.
“From my analysis of Malawi’s economy since 1994, DPP administrations consistently delivered stronger economic performance, even achieving single-digit inflation rates. Compared to the recent MCP-led government, the difference is quite striking.”
She cited the period between 2004 and 2019, under the leadership of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika and later President Arthur Peter Mutharika, as years of “notable progress” marked by improved fiscal discipline and steady growth.
Mzumara’s remarks come at a time when Malawians are calling on the newly reinstated DPP government to focus on stabilizing the economy, taming inflation, and arresting the depreciation of the kwacha.
