By John Tewesa

Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has called on government to clearly explain the country’s persistent foreign exchange shortages, challenges surrounding the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), and what it describes as punitive taxes burdening businesses and ordinary Malawians.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said continued silence from authorities on the forex crisis is creating uncertainty and worsening economic hardships.

On FISP, Namiwa expressed concern over delays and implementation challenges, particularly regarding the distribution and availability of fertilizer.

He warned that failure to address these issues could negatively affect agricultural productivity and result in poor harvests.

The governance watchdog also criticized what it termed punitive taxes, saying they are suffocating citizens and stifling economic growth.

Namiwa urged government to reconsider its tax policies and instead review mining deals to ensure the country benefits fairly from its natural resources rather than overburdening citizens with taxes.

CDEDI further called for transparency, accountability and timely decision-making, cautioning the current administration against what it described as the plunder of public resources.