The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has delivered a mixed verdict on President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s first year in office, awarding a composite score of 3.75 out of 6 (“Good”) while warning that severe economic pressures are undermining daily life for Malawians.
In a comprehensive 14-sector assessment released this week, the Church’s social justice arm described the administration’s performance as “positive but incomplete,” highlighting a stark disconnect between policy wins and the harsh reality of the cost of living.
The report, covering October 2025 to October 2026, credits the government with stabilising food security and making significant strides in education. However, it reserves its sharpest criticism for the government’s handling of the economy, specifically the foreign-exchange crisis and energy supply, which continue to strangle private-sector growth and public services.
A Tale of Two Realities
The CCJP’s public-salience-weighted score—which prioritises issues most affecting households—dropped to a concerning 2.4 out of 6. This disparity reveals that while macro-level indicators show improvement, the benefits have not reached the ordinary citizen.
“The high cost of living continues to weaken purchasing power, while persistent foreign-exchange shortages affect fuel, medicines, electricity, production and investment,” the report states, noting that inflation remains stubbornly high at roughly 23.4%.
Despite these challenges, the administration scored high marks in key social sectors. The introduction of free primary and secondary education, backed by a MWK 47.6 billion budget allocation, was lauded as a “clear first-year manifesto delivery.” Similarly, food security received a 5/6 rating, buoyed by favourable rainfall and stable maize prices averaging MWK 742 per kilogram—well below the previous year’s crisis levels.
The Unresolved Crises
The report identifies foreign exchange as the “most serious unresolved macroeconomic constraint.” Despite a slight improvement in gross reserves and the initiation of gold exports, the CCJP warns that market distortions and shortages remain a major brake on the economy.
This forex crunch has had a cascading effect on other critical sectors. The energy sector scored a dismal 2/6, with the report noting that fuel queues resurfaced during 2026, illustrating Malawi’s structural vulnerability. The health sector also struggled, scoring 2/6 due to drug shortages and dilapidated infrastructure—problems the report links directly to the forex shortage and procurement delays.
Governance and Corruption
The administration’s record on governance and anti-corruption remains a sore point. The report gave the government a 2/6 rating for anti-corruption efforts, noting that “corrupt cases still resurfacing, with no remedies to address the issues.”
“The unresolved concerns over anti-corruption leadership also continue to undermine public confidence,” the CCJP stated, calling for the “appointment of credible substantive leadership” to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
The Road to Year Two
As President Mutharika enters his second year, the CCJP has outlined a six-point agenda focused on consolidation rather than new announcements. The commission calls for immediate reforms to improve access to foreign exchange, the restoration of energy supply through the repair of Kapichira and Nkula, and the protection of gains in food and education.
“The priority for Year Two is to consolidate the gains, strengthen essential systems and convert stabilisation into sustained improvements in jobs, services and household welfare,” the report concludes.
The government had not responded to questions about the challenges affecting Malawians by the time of publication. Efforts to reach Shadrick Namalomba information Minister for comment were unsuccessful; calls to his phone reachable.
