Update: Following the teargassing of Malawi Congress Party supporters at the Kamuzu Mausoleum, United Transformation Movement (UTM) President Dalitso Kabambe has strongly condemned the political division surrounding Kamuzu Day. According to Nyasa Times, Kabambe warned that the nation is drifting towards partisan hostility and urged leaders not to politicise national memory. Meanwhile, the Forum for Democracy and Rights Defenders (FDRD) issued a statement on May 15 condemning the MCP for conducting what it described as an unauthorised wreath-laying ceremony, which the group argued undermined the rule of law.
Vice President Dr. Jane Ansah spent the weekend distributing relief supplies to vulnerable families in Kasungu District, where she also addressed ongoing political rumours. Pan African Visions reports that during her visit to Chief Lukwa's area, Ansah dismissed claims that she intends to leave the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to form a new political movement. Describing the rumours as the work of false prophets, she reaffirmed her loyalty to the DPP and defended her political credentials against recent public criticism.
In economic policy news, the Ministry of Energy and Mining has announced a plan to increase the mining sector's contribution to Malawi's Gross Domestic Product from less than 1 percent to at least 10 percent by 2030. Speaking at a media training event in Lilongwe on May 15, Director of Administration Martin Nkasala said the government is positioning mining as a primary pillar for economic recovery, according to Nyasa Times. The policy reforms aim to reduce the country's heavy reliance on tobacco exports by attracting investment to exploit deposits of rare earth minerals, uranium, and coal.
Tension is building within the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) over a new salary structure that heavily favours top management. Nyasa Times reports that senior officers, specifically Grade 3 directors, have been awarded pay increments of up to 45.9 percent, while lower-graded junior staff received increases of just 16 percent. Internal documents reveal that newly created deputy director positions will earn roughly K3.3 million monthly, creating significant internal unease and raising questions about the widening pay gap among the Bureau's employees.