Silvester Namiwa, Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has called on Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha to clearly outline the government’s strategy for addressing the country’s persistent fuel shortages and limited foreign currency availability.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lilongwe, Namiwa said the current economic challenges contradict commitments made in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) manifesto, which had promised swift solutions to issues surrounding food, fuel, forex, and fertilizer within the first six months of taking office.
Namiwa also raised concern over conflicting statements from government officials regarding the availability of fuel and foreign exchange, warning that the inconsistencies risk undermining public confidence. He urged authorities to provide a coherent and transparent turnaround strategy.
At the same time, the CDEDI executive director expressed support for the Reserve Bank’s decision to sell part of its gold reserves, noting that the move could help generate much-needed resources for fuel procurement.
Despite the growing concerns and calls for clarification, authorities had not yet issued a response at the time of reporting.
