NATIONAL ADDRESS
By Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika
Former President of the Republic of Malawi, President of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and Presidential Candidate for the 2025 Elections
13th January 2025
Fellow Malawians,
Today, I speak to you not just as a former president or the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but as a fellow Malawian who feels the urgency of our struggles and shares the hopes of a nation desperate for change. This is not a routine address; it is a heartfelt appeal for unity and decisive change.
I know many of you feel abandoned, burdened by uncertainty and despair, left to endure hardships without guidance or hope. I see your pain, and I stand with you.
Malawi is at a critical crossroads. Our nation’s challenges are immense, rooted in failed leadership and a lack of vision.
Many of you are tired by empty promises and leadership that delivers no solutions. This cannot continue.
Malawians deserve decisive leadership action, not excuses. Today, I will address three critical issues: the hunger crisis devastating our nation, the economic collapse tearing apart families, and the threats to our democracy and freedoms. Together, we can rebuild and reclaim the promise of our great nation with leadership you can trust.
Malawi in a Hunger Crisis
Fellow Malawians,
It is heartbreaking to see how hunger has ravaged our nation, hitting rural communities hardest, where families are now forced to survive on wild foods like zikhawo and chitedze. Between October 2024 and March 2025, an estimated 28% of Malawi’s population, or 5.7 million people, will be in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 or above, which is a crisis level of acute food insecurity, the worst in a decade. This is not just a statistic; it is a failure of governance where four out of every 10 children suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.
This grim reality exposes the lies of three meals a day promised by the current leadership. Instead, families endure hunger and hopelessness, a betrayal of trust demanding urgent action.
This crisis is not simply the result of environmental factors—it is the direct outcome of failed policies and gross incompetence. The Affordable Farm Input Program (AIP), once hailed as a game-changer, has become a national disgrace. Corruption and inefficiency plague the program, and Malawians will never forget the “butchery fertilizer deal” that humiliated Chakwera’s administration.
The soaring price of fertilizer, now at MK119,000 per bag, has made it inaccessible for many, compounding the crisis. These policy failures have exacerbated the hunger crisis, proving that reckless governance has dire consequences for the people of Malawi. How can farmers grow food when they cannot afford the very inputs they need? Malawians can’t breathe.
Contrast this with the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP), which provided affordable inputs, ensured efficient delivery, and achieved food security across Malawi. This is what competent leadership can achieve.
Under my administration, hunger was eradicated because we placed people at the heart of our policies. We understood that when farmers succeed, the nation thrives. Today, as we watch the agricultural system collapse, let us remember: it does not have to be this way. Together, with proven leadership, we can restore hope, dignity, and food security to our people once again.
Economic Collapse and Social Struggles
My Fellow Malawians,
It is very sad to see how the soaring prices of basic necessities, the crippling forex crisis, and the endless fuel shortages have paralyzed our economy. Families can no longer afford essentials like maize and salt, while businesses struggle to import goods due to the forex shortage. Small businesses are shutting down, young people are losing hope, and families are being torn apart by poverty. These are not just numbers—they are the daily struggles of Malawians caught in an economy spiraling out of control.
Life has become unbearable. Across Malawi, young graduates face the harsh reality of unemployment, like a talented engineer in Blantyre who, despite his qualifications, finds himself selling goods on the street to survive. His story mirrors the plight of countless young professionals trapped in a system failing to create opportunities. In rural areas, farmers who once thrived under supportive policies now watch their crops fail due to unaffordable inputs and broken promises.
This is also a time when we have witnessed the highest number of suicides in Malawi’s history, a devastating indicator of the despair that has gripped our nation. People have lost hope, and many see no way out of their struggles.
Under my administration, we prioritized economic stability and made basic commodities affordable for all Malawians. Our policies ensured that businesses could thrive, farmers were supported, and families lived with dignity. Today, those achievements are a distant memory. It is time to restore stability, revive opportunities, and bring dignity back to our people.
Freedom Under Fire
My Fellow Malawians,
I am deeply disturbed by the rising tide of oppression gripping our nation. Malawi is now a police state, where citizens live under constant fear of arbitrary arrests. Reports of journalists being detained for exposing corruption, peaceful demonstrators being met with tear gas, and opposition members being targeted have become all too common.
This government has weaponized law enforcement to silence dissent, eroding trust in institutions meant to protect the people. Political opponents, activists, and even ordinary Malawians are targeted, creating an environment where trust in the institutions meant to protect the people has been completely eroded. These actions are not just undemocratic; they are an affront to the very values we hold dear as a nation.
Let the voice of the people be heard. Let their grievances be addressed. Democracy cannot thrive where fear reigns.
Political Persecution
Fellow Malawians,
I am distressed by the relentless political persecution targeting members of the DPP. Arrests, smear campaigns, and intimidation have become the hallmark of this government’s strategy to silence opposition voices. Just three days ago, during a peaceful gathering
, our members were teargassed, and Honorable Brenda Banda was shot, a bullet meant to intimidate and suppress dissent. She now lies in a hospital bed, a living testament to the lengths this government will go to crush any opposition.
This is not governance; this is tyranny. To the current leadership, I say this: focus on addressing the real issues that matter to Malawians. Fuel shortages will not end through oppression. Hunger will not be eradicated through political witch-hunts. Medicines will not return to hospitals by silencing your critics. These acts of intimidation only serve to deepen the divisions in our society and weaken our democracy.
A Threat to Democracy
Fellow Malawians,
Our democracy is at a crossroads. The National Registration Bureau (NRB) and the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) have failed to manage the voter registration process effectively, leaving Malawians disillusioned and questioning the integrity of our democratic systems. Registration officers arriving late or failing to report, generators running out of fuel, and centers running out of essential registration forms are not just logistical failures, they are systematic efforts to disenfranchise citizens and undermine their constitutional rights.
These deliberate attempts to silence the voices of Malawians cannot be ignored. Democracy thrives on fairness and inclusivity, yet this government has chosen a path of suppression and incompetence. From Nsanje to Mzuzu, citizens are being denied their right to participate in shaping their future, leaving many to wonder whether their votes will count at all.
Despite these obstacles, I assure you, no vote will be stolen, and no voice will be silenced. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of the upcoming elections. We will deploy trained monitors to every polling station, work with independent observers, and ensure that every Malawian who is eligible to vote can do so without fear or intimidation. Together, we will protect our democracy and reclaim the future of this nation. Mark my words: on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, the DPP will deliver a decisive victory and restore democracy, hope, and prosperity to Malawi. Together, we will reclaim our nation’s future.
A New Dawn for Malawi: Reclaiming Our Future
Fellow Malawians,
It is time to stand united, to speak with one voice, and to reclaim the promise of our great nation. Help is on the way. Freedom is within reach. But freedom will only come if we rise together, reject fear, and boldly make our voices heard at the ballot box. Let us not allow oppression to silence us. Let us vote decisively to remove this government that has betrayed the trust of Malawians.
To the MCP leadership, take this as a final warning: your incompetence, corruption, and tyranny have pushed Malawians to the brink, and they will no longer be silenced. The arrests, the police brutality, and the systemic oppression have exposed your fear of accountability. But know this, Malawians will stand firm, and they will not be intimidated.
We demand free, fair, and credible elections. Any attempt to manipulate or subvert the will of the people will be met with a united and resolute resistance.
To my fellow Malawians—the farmers who cannot afford fertilizer, the youth robbed of opportunities, and the mothers striving to provide for their children, you are not alone. Together, we will rise above this oppression. Together, we will fight for justice, equality, and progress. Do not fear; let your voices echo through the ballot box. This is our time to reclaim the Malawi we deserve.
Malawians, let us end this suffering and take our country back. Together, we will stand united, cast our votes, and restore a government that truly represents the will of the people. This is our time to demand accountability and to reclaim the dignity of every Malawian.
On Tuesday, 16 September 2025, let us march to the polls with determination and courage. Let us restore leadership that cares, delivers, and protects the dreams of every Malawian. The battle for a better Malawi begins now, and together, we will win. let us return to a proven leadership lets return to the Democratic Progressive Party.
May God bless you all, and may God bless the Republic of Malawi.
Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika President of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
For media contacts: Shadric Namalomba MP, Presidential Spokesperson, Tel: 0999965600
