The Ministry of Trade and Industry says it has intercepted a major smuggling attempt involving large quantities of sugar hidden in a warehouse near the Chitipa border with Zambia. Officials described the discovery as further evidence of deliberate attempts by cartels to destabilise the economy just days before the September 16 general elections.
According to the Ministry, its officers uncovered the stockpile late Tuesday in a forest warehouse close to the border. The smugglers were caught attempting to move the consignment into Zambia but refused to disclose the owner of the sugar, claiming only that it had been collected from a local distributor. Police were called in to seize the goods and open investigations.
Trade and Industry Minister Vitumbiko Mumba praised his officials for the bust, saying the interception was proof of government’s determination to confront economic sabotage. “This is about protecting Malawians. We will not allow a few greedy individuals to hold the country hostage,” Mumba said, warning that more operations would follow against those hoarding or diverting essential goods.
The sugar seizure follows weeks of pressure on basic commodities, including fuel and cement, shortages which the government insists are being artificially created to frustrate citizens and undermine confidence in the administration. Officials argue that the timing, coming so close to election day, is not coincidental.
Political analysts say the Ministry’s strong stance may resonate with voters who have endured soaring prices and shortages in recent months. For President Lazarus Chakwera’s government, the bust offers a narrative that it is not failing Malawians but rather fighting entrenched interests determined to profit from scarcity.
With the general election now less than a week away, the Trade Ministry’s intervention has injected fresh energy into political debate, positioning the administration as standing between citizens and powerful cartels accused of manipulating Malawi’s economy.
