Duma Duma

Malawi’s 87-year-old President, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, has travelled to South Africa for medical treatment, although the government is describing the trip as a “private visit”. Mutharika returned to power in October 2025. This is his fourth trip to South Africa since then. He is said to be battling a serious ailment that is being managed by South African doctors. Malawi’s health facilities are in a dire state. Some hospitals do not even have water. Yet the president is spending millions of dollars travelling to South Africa in private jets for treatment instead of investing in local facilities; cancer care, dialysis and cardiac services that could benefit all Malawians. This is one of Africa’s persistent problems. In many countries, presidents have to seek treatment abroad because their own health systems lack the facilities they need. South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and a few others are among the countries where presidents can receive treatment in their own countries. Malawians voted for 87-year-old President Arthur Peter Mutharika, with many arguing that he was the best candidate among those on offer. Yet former Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor Dalitso Kabambe was also running. Malawi’s 2025 election had 17 presidential candidates. Malawi is one of Africa’s tragic cases, where people often vote along tribal or regional lines instead of judging candidates by their competence and ability to govern. It is also one of the world’s poorest countries. The World Bank puts Malawi’s 2025 gross domestic product at about US$14.9 billion, with GDP per capita at roughly US$672. Its 2025/26 national budget is estimated at K8.58 trillion or US$4.9 billion. The country is battling severe foreign-exchange shortages, fuel and fertiliser shortages, high inflation, food insecurity and a heavy debt burden. Debt servicing takes a large share of government revenue. These are the conditions the government should be confronting by strengthening public services and the economy.