At exactly 2:00 a.m. on October 1, 2025, most areas of Thyolo — Malawi’s lush tea-growing heartland, sank into darkness. In the silence of the night, the hum of electric life vanished. Homes went cold, hospitals dimmed, and the rhythm of machines at tea and macadamia factories fell still.
Strong winds accompanied by heavy rains have left a trail of destruction in Thyolo District, rendering at least 65 households homeless across three Traditional Authorities — Boyidi, Magi and Nguluwe.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led administration says it is committed to restoring a free media environment, including reopening several radio and television stations that were shut down during the previous regime.
Some economic and social analysts have warned that the traditional familiarisation tours carried out by newly appointed cabinet ministers could undermine the government’s newly introduced austerity measures if allowed to continue unchecked.
The Ministry of Industrialization, Business, Trade and Tourism has maintained the earlier ban on the exportation of maize and maize products to other countries in a bid to ensure adequate local supply for government purchases.
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