Malawians hoping for relief from persistent fuel shortages, foreign currency scarcity and mounting economic hardships have been told to wait another 10 months as government says it needs two years to fix the country’s economic problems.
Information Minister Shadric Namalomba says the government needs enough time for its interventions to produce results, arguing that many of the challenges were inherited from the previous Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration.
Speaking to a local newspaper, Namalomba’s remarks come amid growing criticism from UTM leader Dalitso Kabambe and other groups over the government’s failure to resolve the economic challenges.
Namalomba said the administration had put measures in place to address the problems but needed time for the interventions to take effect.
However, political analyst James Hiwa has challenged the government to stop shifting responsibility to its predecessor and concentrate on fixing the economy.
Hiwa said Malawians were growing tired of political arguments while their economic difficulties continued.
“I don’t think these blame games will help the country. Everyone knows that the MCP government messed up the nation, but the current government should not waste time blaming MCP. Let the government restore the economy. People are tired of the blame games,” said Hiwa.
He said the government should focus on economic recovery and deliver solutions that would make a difference to ordinary Malawians.
The DPP administration has been in power for one year and two months, leaving it with 10 months to reach the two-year period Namalomba says is needed to address the challenges.
Until then, Malawians struggling with fuel shortages and foreign currency constraints will be watching whether government’s promises translate into actual relief.
