Mutharika cites national unity, economic reforms among first-year achievements

President Peter Mutharika says his administration has made significant progress during its first year in office, citing national unity, free secondary education, food security and measures to address the country’s economic challenges.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Mutharika said Malawi is currently experiencing greater unity and oneness compared to a few years ago when the country witnessed incidents of men wielding pangas and threatening people.

He said the prevailing peace and unity are among the achievements his administration is proud of, stressing the importance of maintaining a united country.

Mutharika also highlighted the introduction of free secondary education, saying no qualified student should be denied access to secondary education because of lack of money.

He said the government has also strengthened the higher education loans programme, with support from the banking sector enabling more students to access loans for their studies.

On the economy, Mutharika said his administration is implementing measures to address foreign exchange challenges and improve fuel availability.

He also pointed to debt restructuring as another key area his administration is pursuing to address the country’s financial challenges and create a more sustainable economic environment.

On food security, Mutharika said his government had made progress in ensuring that the country has enough food, describing food security as one of the areas his administration is proud of.

He said these achievements give him confidence that his administration is moving the country in the right direction as it marks one year in office.