After three decades in the political wilderness, the Malawi Congress Party’s return to power in 2020 was more than an election victory; it was a national catharsis.
Riding the Tonse Alliance wave, the party promised a definitive break from the past; a new era of renewal, reform, and the moral leadership Malawians felt had been absent for a generation.
Yet, just five years later, the electorate delivered a verdict of profound disillusionment, showing the MCP the door once more.
The critical question is not if they failed. We all know they did.
The question to pursue is why. The answer lies less in a flawed political ideology and more in a fatal flaw of attitude and execution.
This was a tragedy of a government that, upon securing power, forgot the people who granted it, abandoning the solemn duty of disciplined governance for the comforts of high office.
From Historic Mandate to Hollowed-Out Rhetoric
The Tonse Alliance’s triumph generated an electric, hopeful mood.
For a moment, it seemed a stubborn page of history was finally being turned. Citizens anticipated a government defined by competence, transparency, and servant leadership. A government that would work.
However, the transition from campaign celebration to the hard graft of governance never fully materialized.
The initial 180-day plan, a critical period for establishing momentum, dissolved into a fog of bureaucratic inertia and political repositioning. Instead of a ruthless restructuring of the state for delivery, the government settled into the old rhythms of power:
- Unclear Chains of Command: The alliance structure created competing centres of power, leaving the civil service confused and awaiting clear direction that never consistently came.
- Symbolism over Substance: Ribbon-cutting ceremonies and high-profile announcements often preceded, and sometimes replaced, the actual implementation of policies.
- The Squandering of Moral Capital: The immense goodwill that propelled the administration was steadily depleted, not in one major scandal, but through a thousand cuts of unmet promises and a perceived detachment from the daily struggles of ordinary Malawians.
The Anatomy of a Failure to Govern
The central tragedy of the MCP-led era (2020–2025) was its inability to translate a powerful electoral victory into effective governance. The promise of “reform” was slowly cannibalized by political expediency.
Consider the tangible gaps:
- The Economic Stagnation: Despite promises of a robust economic revival, Malawians endured persistent fuel shortages, a crippling foreign exchange crisis, and rising cost of living. The state’s response often felt like a litany of explanations blaming global factors, rather than a display of proactive problem-solving.
- The Unfulfilled Anti-Corruption Pledge: While speaking loudly against corruption, the government’s actions were perceived as selective. Key institutions meant to ensure accountability were not visibly strengthened, and the politically sensitive procurement reforms needed to curb waste never gained decisive traction.
- The Communication Chasm: The leadership forgot that the people had elected problem-solvers, not saints. When crises hit, a defensive rhetoric or official silence often took the place of transparent, empathetic communication. This bred deep distrust and a sense that the government was out of touch.
The Politicojuridity View: The Collapse of the Moral Covenant
Through the lens of Politicojuridity, which analyses the nexus of political culture, law, and institutional legitimacy, the MCP’s downfall was predictable. It misread the fundamental foundations of effective African governance.
Power, in this context, rests on a tripod of sacred duties:
- The Duty to Care: Leaders must visibly demonstrate that they share in the sufferings and aspirations of their people. A perceived detachment is fatal.
- The Duty to Communicate: Transparency is not a favour but a necessity. Defensive or absent communication severs the vital connection with the citizenry.
- The Duty to Correct: Wrongdoing within the ranks must be addressed without fear or favour. Tolerance of malfeasance for political convenience irrevocably breaks trust.
In 2025, Malawians did not vote for a competing ideology. They voted against indifference. The moral covenant between the ruler and the ruled had been broken.
Ten Lessons for Malawi’s Future
For the MCP faithful, these are not attacks but necessary truths for redemption. For the neutral critic, they are a blueprint for evaluating any future government.
- Governance is Delivery, Not Decoration. State power must be ruthlessly organized to produce results, not to create photo opportunities.
- The Grace Period is Short. Promises have an expiration date. Without rapid, visible action in the first 100 days, public patience evaporates.
- Reform Must Be Systemic. Removing a few “bad apples” is theatre if the barrel itself: the system of procurement, appointments, and oversight; remains rotten.
- Integrity Must Be Institutionalized. The fight against corruption cannot be a political weapon. It requires strong, independent institutions that apply the law uniformly.
- Crisis Communication is Core to Leadership. In a storm, citizens look to the captain. Silence or blame-shifting is a dereliction of duty.
- Performance is Measured in Lived Experience. The ultimate report card is not a press clip but the price of maize, the availability of fuel, and the dignity of a job.
- Factionalism is a Cancer. Competing power centres within a coalition government destroy policy coherence and paralyse the state machinery.
- Competence Must Trump Loyalty. The state is not a reward for campaign foot soldiers. It is a complex machine that demands the most skilled operators.
- Empathy is Non-Negotiable. Leaders must culturally and emotionally connect with the people they serve. They must be seen to understand the public’s pain.
- Tragedy Demands a Human Touch. The mishandling of national crises or moments of grief, be it a disaster or an economic shock, alienates even the most loyal supporters.
The Path Forward: From the Pursuit of Power to the Discipline of Purpose
If the MCP, or any political party in Malawi for that matter, seeks redemption, it must begin with public contrition and institutional humility. The people deserve to hear an unambiguous acknowledgment: “We failed to govern as we promised.”
The rebuilding must then begin not with new slogans, but with new structures. The next generation of leaders, from any party, must treat governance as a craft. This requires:
- Designing Delivery Units: Embedding small, focused teams within government to track and drive the implementation of key priorities.
- Enforcing Accountability: Creating clear, measurable performance contracts for all public officials.
- Building a Truth-Respecting Communication System: A machinery that respects citizens enough to tell them the truth, even when it is difficult, and to outline a clear path forward.
Malawi is weary of eloquent failures. The nation now yearns for competent reformers: leaders who understand that in 21st-century Africa, legitimacy is not inherited from history or a party name, but earned daily through humility, tangible order, and demonstrable results.
Final Word
History may record the 2020–2025 era as a lost opportunity. But it can also serve as our most potent lesson: that power, when divorced from purpose and discipline, always ends in pain. Unless this lesson is learned, we in Malawi will continue the futile cycle of changing governments without ever truly changing governance.
At the Africa Politicojuridity Institute, we offer this analysis not to condemn, but to correct. The future stability and prosperity of Malawi depend on it. Our next era must be defined not by the cult of personality, but by the strength and integrity of our institutions.
(c) Published under the Africa Politicojuridity Institute (API) Governance Diagnostics Series