”I am achieving”-Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika has self-rated his government’s performance at 50 percent.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview broadcast on the state-controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) , Mutharika described his first year as a “rollercoaster” but expressed confidence in the foundation laid by his administration.

The President, who secured a historic victory in the September 16, 2025, General Election, used the address to reflect on his return from “the wilderness” and to defend his flagship “4Fs” agenda—Food, Fuel, Forex, and Fertilizer.

Addressing critics who argue that economic recovery has been slow, Mutharika emphasized that his priorities cannot be fully realized in twelve months. “He has since rated his first year in office at 50 percent, saying his agenda is a five-year programme that should not be judged on one year alone,” he said.

Among his first-year triumphs, Mutharika pointed to the restoration of civil freedoms and crucial strides in national food security. According to administration figures, the price of a 50-kilogram bag of maize dropped significantly from over K100,000 to approximately K35,000 following a revitalization of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).

Despite celebrating food security milestones, Mutharika did not sugarcoat the ongoing economic turmoil. He openly admitted that foreign exchange (forex) shortages and fuel supply chains remain the most complex hurdles threatening macroeconomic stability.

To fix the structural deficit, the President warned the nation to brace for incoming economic pain. The administration plans to introduce aggressive austerity measures and higher taxes, urging Malawians to make necessary sacrifices to steady the economy. Mutharika confirmed that high-level negotiations are advanced with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to revive the Extended Credit Facility (ECF).