One hundred days into office, President Arthur Peter Mutharika has wasted no time reminding Malawi that he is a man who acts. From free secondary education to stabilising fuel supplies, from slashing maize prices to reshuffling Cabinet, his second presidency has been anything but slow. The question now gripping the country is simple but profound: is this the decisive leadership Malawians voted for--or the early signs of power without discipline?
When Mutharika campaigned on a promise of a "Return to Proven Leadership," he secured a convincing 57 percent of the vote in the September 16, 2025 election. Three months later, a panel of 10 leading experts in public administration, economics, law, governance and human rights was asked to judge whether he has lived up to that promise. Their verdict: a cautious yes.
On average, the President scored 64.5 percent, signalling broad approval of his energy and decisiveness, but also deep unease about how some critical decisions have been handled.
The panel assessed his performance on the issues that mattered most to voters: the economy, food security, corruption, education, health, energy, climate change, governance and the rule of law--the very pillars of the DPP's campaign.
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Three panellists gave Mutharika an eight out of ten, one a seven, three a six, one a 5.5 and two a five. In short, the President is winning confidence--but not yet trust.
Early wins that matter
There is no doubt that Mutharika has moved fast on key bread-and-butter issues. Inflation has eased, driven largely by falling maize prices. Fuel is now widely available after months of uncertainty. Free secondary education has been rolled out, school fees in primary schools have been scrapped, and the Mombera University project has been elevated as a flagship national investment.
Political scientist Wonderful Mkhutche says these are not cosmetic gestures, but real policy actions that connect directly to the manifesto that won the DPP the election.
"We have seen actions in what was promised during the campaign--free secondary school education, the return of some government offices to Blantyre, stabilisation of key economic fundamentals, maize prices dropping and fuel availability," he said.
Education expert Limbani Nsapato adds that these moves show not just commitment, but strategic political intelligence, especially appointing Second Vice-President Enock Chihana to drive the Mombera University project.
But Nsapato warns that the President has stumbled badly in how he has handled redeployments of senior public officials--some of whom were sent to teach in universities despite lacking academic qualifications. "That undermines professionalism and damages institutions," he said.
Appointments, loyalty and credibility
If Mutharika's policy drive has been strong, his personnel choices have been far more controversial.
Associate Professor Boniface Dulani of the University of Malawi says delays in appointing a full Cabinet and parastatal boards contradict Mutharika's promise to "hit the ground running."
Worse still, he argues, is the decision to appoint people facing criminal charges into senior government positions.
"That suggests a leader who is placing loyalty above national interest," Dulani said.
Human rights activist Gift Trapence goes further, accusing the administration of firing and hiring public officers outside the law and reviving political favouritism in public appointments.
National Advocacy Platform chairperson Benedicto Kondowe acknowledges these concerns but says Mutharika has still shown firm leadership in key areas: ordering a civil service headcount to flush out ghost workers, stabilising fuel supplies, and swiftly securing maize from Zambia to fight hunger.
"These are concrete and reassuring steps," he said. "But credibility will depend on follow-through."
Austerity talk vs political reality
The President's rhetoric on austerity has also been questioned after he expanded Cabinet from 24 to 28 ministers during a severe fiscal crisis.
Willy Kambwandira of the Civil Society Accountability and Transparency group says this undermines the message of fiscal discipline.
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"It suggests accommodation of political interests over tough economic choices," he said.
The handling of First Vice-President Jane Ansah's private trip to the UK also exposed weaknesses in government communication and internal discipline. While Mutharika insisted Ansah would use her own money, the contradictory statements that preceded it damaged public confidence.
A decisive moment
Yet one decision won near-universal praise: Mutharika's rejection of the controversial CDF Constitutional Amendment Bill. Governance analyst George Chaima called it a bold refusal to bow to MPs' self-interest.
For now, the verdict is clear. Mutharika is energetic, bold and willing to act. But whether that decisiveness will translate into clean governance, institutional strength and national unity remains an open test.
At 100 days, he has seized momentum. What he does next will determine whether he earns lasting respect--or merely tightens his grip on power.
