Motorists and transport unions have raised alarms over the 2026/27 National Budget, which assigns the Malawi Police Service a K22 billion revenue collection target, according to Nyasa Times. The directive requires police to generate 88 percent of their total K25 billion projection primarily through traffic fines. The Transporters Association of Malawi warned that this shift amounts to "revenue policing", expressing fears that the mandate will lead to an increase in roadblocks and corruption on the country's roads.
In parliamentary developments, the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) has cautioned lawmakers of a potential K15 billion loss due to a suspension on selling overstocked farm inputs, Nyasa Times reports. Following a February 12 directive from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that halted the disposal of goods, NEEF Chief Executive Kayisi Sadala stated that perishable assets like seeds and fertilisers are rotting in storage. The freeze has reportedly paralysed the fund's lending operations and left K12 billion in unpaid invoices.
Meanwhile, President Peter Mutharika pardoned 27 inmates to mark the 2026 Eid and Easter holidays, according to The Maravi Post. A statement from the Ministry of Homeland Security confirmed that the pardons were granted to inmates who had served at least half of their sentences, including the elderly, women, chronically ill individuals, and prisoners selected for public university studies. The ministry noted that the decision was intended to promote reintegration and decongest correctional facilities.
Update: The ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the K128.7 billion sale of the Amaryllis Hotel to the Public Service Pension Trust Fund (PSPTF) is facing jurisdictional challenges. Nyasa Times reports that critics are questioning the Public Accounts Committee's authority to investigate the matter, arguing that the PSPTF is an independent trust rather than a public body. Former Treasury officials have also pushed back against demands to dismiss Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha, noting that investment decisions are managed independently by the fund's board of trustees.