Update: Following earlier debates over the transparency of the President's private travels, the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is now demanding urgent answers regarding Peter Mutharika's prolonged absence in South Africa. According to Nyasa Times and Malawi24, MCP campaign director Moses Kunkuyu addressed the media in Lilongwe on Thursday, questioning who is currently steering the country during ongoing fuel shortages, power cuts, and a lack of essential medicines in public hospitals. The opposition party directed its criticism at Vice-President Jane Ansah, urging her to step forward and address the nation to provide reassurance that the government remains fully functional while the head of state is away.
In infrastructure finance news, the Roads Fund Administration (RFA) announced it has cleared a K34.5 billion loan for the country's six-lane road project ahead of schedule, Nation Online reports. During a recent parliamentary committee meeting, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) Chief Executive Officer Dad Chinthambi disclosed that Mera remitted approximately K236 billion in road levies to the RFA between January and October 2026. This large remittance facilitated the early loan settlement, although Chinthambi noted that Mera still owes K202 billion in unremitted levies linked to the earlier depletion of the Price Stabilisation Fund.