Phale echoes on 2026, 2027 national budget

By Dean Chisambo……..

Member of Parliament for Salima Central West, Enock Phale, has welcomed the 2026/27 national budget presented by Minister of Finance, Joseph Mathyola Mwamvekha, in Parliament last month. Phale emphasized the need for the budget to support local production, citing it as a key factor in reducing poverty in Malawi. He highlighted the importance of investing in mining, agriculture, and energy sectors to benefit the country.

“We need a budget that makes us healthier and happier, a budget that gives hope for positive livelihoods of our Malawian people,” Phale said. He stressed that it’s time for Malawians to benefit from their mineral resources, citing concerns about informal mining and lack of transparency.

Phale urged the government to train local miner designers and establish cooperatives to ensure proper marketing and foreign exchange generation. He also encouraged investment in agriculture, particularly irrigation, and appealed for improved roads to tourism destinations like Salima, Mangochi, and Golomoti.

However, Phale expressed concerns about the country’s debt, especially domestic debt, and emphasized the need for fiscal discipline to reduce consumption spending and prioritize development. He requested supplementary resources for the education ministry to support the free secondary school policy.

First Deputy Speaker Victor Musowa assured Phale that his concerns would be submitted to relevant ministries for consideration. The legislators are still presenting their views on the K10.978 trillion national budget.