In brief
With the general election approaching, many Malawians find themselves queuing for petrol rather than for the polls, highlighting a backdrop of economic distress. Issues such as fuel shortages, high inflation, and youth unemployment are diminishing enthusiasm for the election, which features incumbent president Lazarus Chakwera and his predecessor, Peter Mutharika, among numerous other candidates. Chakwera has acknowledged the challenges and pledged changes, but the public remains skeptical. Young voters, increasingly frustrated, are hoping for genuine improvements in their daily lives following the election.
The queue to get fuel rather than the queue to vote is what is on the mind of many Malawians as Tuesday's general election approaches.
Prolonged petrol shortages, along with regular power cuts, the rising cost of living, hunger, poverty, inequality, and youth unemployment, add to the tangible frustration here.
The presidential, parliamentary, and local council candidates are competing for votes against a background of cynicism about what might actually change.
In a sign that money is tight, electioneering has been somewhat muted compared to the past. This is despite the presidential race being seen as a rematch between the incumbent, Lazarus Chakwera, and the man he beat in 2020, then-President Peter Mutharika.
There are 15 other candidates. But the usual colourful campaign carnival is missing. The free T-shirts usually doled out with abandon to whip up enthusiasm are more limited.
There are fewer giant election billboards on the nation's main roads.
Back in the snaking petrol lines, patience runs thin, which has at times led to fist fights.
Sensing the fuel shortage was becoming an election issue, Chakwera has tried to tackle it head-on. In a televised address, eight days before polls open, he acknowledged the frustration and apologised. The president then turned his fire on allegedly corrupt officials who he accused of deliberately sabotaging the oil market.
To put food on the table, young men have been selling petrol and diesel using small plastic containers at five times the official price.
With food costs rising at more than 30% in the past year, and wages not keeping pace, things are becoming harder to afford. The youth are increasingly becoming disillusioned with the electoral process, feeling that their concerns are not being addressed by older politicians who may not grasp the urgency of the current socio-economic challenges.
Chakwera has promised to implement radical changes, while Mutharika and other candidates are also offering solutions aimed at improving the standard of living in Malawi. However, many voters remain skeptical of politicians' promises and question if real change will come after the elections.
